Photos of Lewes, East Sussex – old castle, historical buildings, Harveys ales and a car boot sale

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

It’s stuffed full of historic buildings, has a long history dating back to Roman times, goes crazy on Bonfire Night and has a fabulous brewery right in the middle of the town.

Yep, I’m talking about the county town of East Sussex in southern England, Lewes, and here’s a selectin of 50-odd photos form my recent visit to the town (sadly to watch the mighty Dulwich Hamlet FC lose).

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Built in 1069 by William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey, the brother-in-law of William the Conqueror, Lewes Castle stands at the highest point of the town, and it was cunningly constructed on an artificial mound.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Clock tower against a Lewes sunset.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

The Fifteenth Century Bookshop, complete with timber frame and overhanging storeys , uneven floors and low narrow doorways, at 99-100 High St, Lewes.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Secondhand shop window.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Lewes is home to the wonderful Harveys brewery. Their Sussex Ale is a thing of wonder.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Night view, on our way back on from the Lansdown Arms.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Looking down the cobbled Keere Street at night.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Sixteenth century half-timbered building at 49-51 Southover High Street.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

The remains of the Priory of St Pancras, once one of the largest monastic churches in the country.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Prospect Priory, a Victorian addition to the old Priory site.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Battle of Lewes Memorial. The battle took place at Lewes on 14 May 1264.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Agreed!

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Looking over Lewes from the top of the mount opposite Lewes football ground.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

VRAC tea rooms on Lansdown Place, Lewes.

Unfortunately they were closed when we walked past, which was a shame as I was definitely in the mood for a reviving cup of Rosie Lea after a might on the Harveys ale.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Harveys Brewery, Sussex’s oldest independent brewery, founded in 1790 and located smack bang in the centre of Lewes by the banks of the River Ouse.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

There was a car boot sale going on on the other side of the river to the brewery. Wheelchairs, bins, old frying pans – they had the lot.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

River Ouse and Cliffe High Street crossing.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Harveys brewery shop on Cliffe High Street.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Coffee with a shivering dog, Cliffe High Street view.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

There were several antique shops along Cliffe High Street. Tourists ahoy!

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Old 1830 water pump.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

‘Brick Brighteners’ graffiti.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

On 27 December 1836, the worst ever avalanche recorded in Britain happened in Lewes when a large build-up of snow on the nearby cliff slipped down onto a row of cottages called Boulters Row. Eight people lost their lives.

A pub in South Street is named The Snowdrop in memory of the event – you can just see the pub sign in the distance in this photo.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Striking Victorian Gothic building.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ales and a car boot sale

Elaborate clock tower.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Towards the castle.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Bull House, once the home of freedom fightin’ English-American revolutionary and writer Thomas Paine, and now serving as the headquarters of Sussex Archaeological Society.

Paine lived in the house at 92, High Street, between 1768 and 1774.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Tom Paine Printing Press opposite.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

 

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Another view of the delightfully wobbly Fifteenth Century Bookshop.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Wall detail.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

The cobbled Keere Street is home to many historic buildings.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

A local history website reports that Keere street was known as ‘the street of locksmiths’ and was partly built on the dry ditch of the town wall, with the central watercourse paved with water-rolled flints .

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Springtime in Southover Grange Gardens, Lewes.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

The park is set in the  gardens of a striking 16th Century building in the heart of Lewes.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

Interior view of the imposing Lewes railway station.

Photos of Lewes, East Sussex - ruined castle, historical buildings, lovely ale and a jumble sale

With no trains running because of engineering works, we had to take a replacement bus serviced. These cups look like they may have been placed there by bus drivers waiting to set off.

More photos: Sussex photo galleries

Also: Lewes Bonfire Night info

4 Comments on “Photos of Lewes, East Sussex – old castle, historical buildings, Harveys ales and a car boot sale”

  1. The filled-in platform/s at Lewes Station were for the lines towards Uckfield (part of which is now the Lavender Line) and East Grinstead (part of which is now the Bluebell line)

  2. Found you piccys by accident when researching some Family History stuff. May daughter lives just outside Lewes and many, many ancestors lived in the area. Just blown away by your photos – they sum up the essence of Lewes beautifully. Thank you so much for sharing them with all and sundry.

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