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 A HISTORY OF SUSSEX the coastal plain probably masked the cliff for several miles east of Brighton, and the chalk cliffs were much lower and less conspicuous. The sea has also swept the shingle beach eastward before the prevalent wind, to accumulate in successive ridges or ' fulls ' across Pevensey, Winchelsea and Rye Harbours. The mere fact that so enormous a proportion of this shingle beach is known to have accumulated well within the period of written history is sufficient evidence that the sub- mergence which started the process cannot have taken place at a time historically very remote, otherwise the harbours of these cinque ports would have been obliterated long before. At this point we must leave the chronicle to be carried on by the archasologist and historian.