Seaford, East Sussex

Seaford
Seaford Bay viewed from the Head with Newhaven visible in the distance
Seaford Location within East Sussex
Area	6.327 km2 (2.443 sq mi) [1]
Population	22,862 (Parish-2011)[2]
• Density	3,613/km2
OS grid reference	TV482990
• London	67 miles (108 km) north
Civil parish	Seaford
District	Lewes
Shire county	East Sussex
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SEAFORD
Postcode district	BN25
Dialling code	01323
Police	Sussex
Fire	East Sussex
Ambulance	South East Coast
UK Parliament	Lewes
Website	Seaford Town Council
List of places UK England East Sussex 50°46′N 0°06′E / 50.77°N 0.10°E / 50.77; 0.10

Seaford is a town in East Sussex, England, east of Newhaven and west of Eastbourne.^[3]

In the Middle Ages, Seaford was one of the main ports serving Southern England, but the town's fortunes declined due to coastal sedimentation silting up its harbour and persistent raids by French pirates. The coastal confederation of Cinque Ports in the mediaeval period consisted of forty-two towns and villages; Seaford was included under the "Limb" of Hastings.^[4] Between 1350 and 1550, the French burned down the town several times. In the 16th century, the people of Seaford were known as the "cormorants" or "shags" because of their enthusiasm for looting ships wrecked in the bay. Local legend has it that Seaford residents would, on occasion, cause ships to run aground by placing fake harbour lights on the cliffs.^[5]

Seaford's fortunes revived in the 19th century with the arrival of the railway connecting the town to Lewes and London. It became a small seaside resort town, and more recently a dormitory town for the nearby larger settlements of Eastbourne and Brighton, as well as for London.

The traditional Sussex pronunciation of the name has a full vowel in each syllable: /ˈsiːfɔːrd/ "sea-ford". However, outside Sussex, and increasingly within, it is commonly pronounced with a reduced vowel on the second syllable: /ˈsiːfərd/ SEE-fərd.