The ancient stone quarries to the north of the village, especially Whitemans Green, are renowned as the locations where some of the most significant early dinosaur fossil discoveries in the world were made.
Dr Gideon Mantell discovered the first fossilised remains of the Iguanadon in 1824 in Whiteman's Green. Since it's discovery it has been in the Natural History Museum in London.
In 1990 the Cuckfield Museum held a celebration, in the Queens Hall, Cuckfield, of the discovery and Dr Mantell's birthday. It was the start of a three month long exhibition.