AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL society is celebrating 175 years of history with a new exhibition.

The Sussex Archaeological Society will be running a new exhibition at the Barbican House Museum at Lewes Castle until September 30.

The society, the county's largest heritage-based organisation, is a charity which cares more than a million artefacts, as well as the eight Sussex Past heritage sites, including Lewes Castle and Museum.

Of the objects on display, the oldest item is the fossilised footprint of an iguanodon - a dinosaur which stalked Europe in the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous periods.

Gideon Mantell, the palaeontologist who discovered the species, was born in Lewes.

Travelling through the Bronze Age (c.1400 – 1240BC), visitors will see one of Sussex’s most exciting archaeological discoveries of the last 50 years - a Middle Bronze Age Hoard complete with five Sussex Loops.

Through paintings and artefacts, exhibition, entitled The Sussex Archaeological Society: 175 Years of Collecting, will bring to life the stories of everyday people, sailors, prisoners and even one of America’s founding fathers.

Museums officer Emma O’Connor said the objects on display make memories of Sussex’s past tangible for our visitors.

“The exhibition is all about people, with both personal and collective stories to discover.”

Sussex Archaeological Society CEO Andrew Edwards said: “The story of the society is the story of our county, so this is all about celebrating 175 years of collecting and celebrating Sussex and looking to the future.”

Author and historian Tom Holland added: “How wonderful it is that in a county as rich in history as Sussex even the archaeological society – an absolute model of how to preserve and cherish the legacy of the past – should be 175 years old. Now is the perfect opportunity to help it flourish for at least another 175 years.”

Entry is included in general admission prices of Lewes Castle and free of charge to Sussex Archaeological Society members. Booking in advance is not required.

Admission prices for Lewes Castle and Museum start at £8 for an adult and £4 for a student or child.