East Sussex is a ceremonial county on the south-east coast of England, bordered by Kent to the east, West Sussex to the west, and Surrey to the north. The county is renowned for its dramatic South Downs National Park, the white chalk cliffs at Beachy Head, and the historic associations of the Battle of Hastings (1066). Principal towns include Hastings, Eastbourne, Lewes (the county town), and Bexhill-on-Sea, and the county blends rural landscapes with characterful seaside and market towns.