THE SUSSEX ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Registered charity 207037 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as SUSSEX ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, SUSSEX PAST
We are a membership organisation for those interested in the history and archaeology of Sussex. We open six historic properties to the visiting public. Each property has its own museum and provides education services for children. We are a research organisation and carry out our own excavations as well as providing support and advice for other local researchers in both history and archaeology.
Causes: Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Environment/conservation/heritage · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that free reserves of £150,304 sit below the trustees' stated policy target of £450,000 (three months of unrestricted expenditure). The charity reported a deficit on unrestricted operations of £76,878 for the year, although it generated a surplus on restricted activities. The trustees confirm that the financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis, citing sufficient budgeted income and reserves to continue operations for the next twelve months.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £150k; policy: three months of unrestricted expenditure)
“Free reserves of £150,304 (2024: £198,745) therefore sit below the target level.” — page 10
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Loan from trustee
“During the year, the Society received a loan of £30,000 from Amanda Jones, a trustee of the Society. The balance outstanding at the year end was £30,000. The loan was fully repaid after the year end on 27 May 2025.” — page 39
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: Sussex Past Trading Limited
“The Society's catering, retail and events activities continued to be delivered through Sussex Past Trading Ltd (SPTL), a subsidiary company.” — page 5
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by TC Group. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.
Year-over-year changes
- Going concern: going-concern doubt noted (FY2024) → no going-concern doubt (FY2025).
Comparing this charity’s FY2024 and FY2025 accounts as analysed by this site.
Property (HM Land Registry)
13 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (13 freehold). All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Cost of raising funds
£214k
Reported reserves equal ~1.1 months of spending — in the bottom quarter for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).
Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (75% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.
Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 13.3% of total income — above the median for charities its size (5.2%) (benchmarks).
- Amanda Joneschair
- Dr LAWRENCE EDWIN SHAW
- Joseph Adam Bates
- MICHAEL CHARLES LA ROOY
- PAMELA KENT
- PAUL ALAN GRIFFITHS
- RICHARD WHITFIELD HOPKINS
- SARAH VICTORIA WATSON
- THOMAS ALEXANDER RILEY
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: East Sussex · West Sussex
Income and spending
Common questions
Is THE SUSSEX ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that free reserves of £150,304 sit below the trustees' stated policy target of £450,000 (three months of unrestricted expenditure). The charity reported a deficit on unrestricted operations of £76,878 for the year, although it generated a surplus on restricted activities. The trustees confirm that the financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis, citing sufficient budgeted income and reserves to continue operations for the next twelve months. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by TC Group.
Who funds THE SUSSEX ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY?
Funders whose own accounts filings name THE SUSSEX ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY as a grant recipient include THE JOHN COATES CHARITABLE TRUST.
Known funders
Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
Funders of similar charities
Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.
Charities like this
Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with SURREY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
Side by side with its peers
Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.