There were many types of craft-working activity performed both in urban and rural settings, and it is generally through their tools that we can identify them. Most households would have been engaged in spinning and weaving cloth, using spindlewhorls and a loom. No complete looms have been found in Sussex, but loomweights used to keep the vertical threads taunt have been found. Dyestuffs made from plant material were probably used, but no cloth in Sussex has yet been found to confirm this.

The majority of buildings would either have been made entirely of wood or have had significant timber sections, and therefore carpentry would have been a vital skill. Other important craftspeople included masons and farriers, and a complete set of farrier's tools was uncovered at the Cattlemarket in Chichester. Finally, there is also evidence for more specialist crafts, in the form of the jewellery hammer from Pulborough.

Some of the craftsmen, especially those in urban contexts, may have been formed into guilds that could generate significant power and wealth, with the prime example of this being the Chichester temple dedication from the guild of smiths.