Sorry, Tony Titchener, but you are mistaken in stating "East and West Sussex are no more than artificial creations of the 1974 reorganisation of local government" (Letters, November 6).

Extract from Sussex, published by Cambridge University Press, 1909: "Sussex is divided into two portions, known as East Sussex and West Sussex, each of which has its own county council, a mode of government which was introduced in 1888."

The division was based on the 800-year-old boundary between Lewes and Bramber. Under the Local Government Act of 1972, the boundary was shifted slightly eastwards.

So, Tony, the information you gave was some 108 years out of date.

-Terrence Sinnott, Brighton