I lived in and travelled around England for 7 years, and Lewes is my favourite place. If you are ever in London, feeling tired of the hustle and bustle, and need to give your elbows a break from trudging paths through other travellers, get yourself to Victoria train station and board a train for Lewes.
When you imagine an old English town, Lewes will likely fit the picture, so replace your fantasy of an English town with real memories – the train from Victoria to Lewes takes between 55min (the express) to 1h20 and the train ride won’t be wasted – grab a seat near the window and lock your eyes on the views, first of Thames, the old brick town homes and their perfectly lined stone chimneys and the Battersea Power Station (which is now being redeveloped to make room for condos and shops, I believe) as you ride through North London. You’ll then stare out at green fields, gently rolling hills and English towns.
Lewes is nestled in the South Downs National Park, surrounded by rolling green hills and white chalk cliffs. The Ouse runs through the town (the river that Virginia Woolf waded into to end her life.) Lewes has narrow cobble stone streets, Tudor houses, castle ruins, church steeples, a busy high street, beautiful gardens, tea rooms, antique shops, pubs on each street corner, and it’s very own Harvey’s Brewery – if you’re lucky, you can visit on a day when they’re brewing, see the white steam billow out of the brewery’s chimneys and inhale the sweet smell of hops that fills the town.
The best part of Lewes is that the town belongs to the people who live here, not the tourists – the antique stores you’ll walk into don’t sell kitsch, and the pubs don’t make food to appease tourist tastes. You’ll be walking, eating and drinking amongst locals.
A day will suffice to meander around the town, but if you have 2 or more days, you can explore the area around Lewes. On foot, it’s easy to walk along the public footpaths to pubs in Rodmill or Glynde, hop on a 25min bus ride to Brighton, or just pootle around the town and absorb its atmosphere.
Things to do in Lewes:
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[li type=”glyphicon-arrow-right”]Firstly, check out Viva Lewes. Even the locals get this monthly magazine which showcases Lewes events, includes interviews with local artists, musicians and chefs, and boasts lots of other useful information. In my opinion, Lewes is a crafty, artsy town and Viva Lewes will help you find your way to the best spots and events.[/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-arrow-right”]Enter the pubs. It doesn’t matter too much which ones you enter since each pub has it’s own character and charm and it will be up to you to choose your favourite chill spot. Walk in to have a look, or sit down to have a brew. Here are a few places to keep your eye out for:
The Snowdrop – it’s quirky, serves an excellent selection of brews, and nice meals (the fig and walnut salad with honey dressing is delicious.)
The Rights of Man has a lovely roof-top patio if you’re lucky enough to be visiting on a sunny day.
The Lamb has the feel of being in someone’s living room.
The Swan serves up big portions of equally delicious food in a comfortably rustic setting. If you’re looking to try what the locals are having, try Harvey’s Bitter. Burning Sky and Long Man are also local Sussex breweries. Shandy is very popular (lemonade mixed with Bitter, usually.) If you’re looking for something light and sweet, try a ‘cider black’ – cider with a splash of blackcurrant cordial.
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[li type=”glyphicon-arrow-right”]Walk to the Grange – in the spring and summer the gardens are beautiful. Take a book if you have one, commandeer a bench and enjoy.[/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-arrow-right”]Eat!
Bill’s is almost always busy, especially on a Saturday morning, serving the usual and more fancy breakfast fare, but they also do dinners; it can get a little loud. The Buttercup Cafe is charming, and you can stop to look at pretty antique furniture. The best pastry can be found at The Patisserie on Station Street – their brioche is big, filling, and just the right amount of sweet. If you’re lucky enough and there’s any left (this cafe is on the way to the train station and many folk stop by on their way to catch their morning commute) you might be able to try the Custard Brioche. Yum. For fresh, warm bread visit Flint Owl Bakery; they have freshly made, delicious and filling sandwiches, too.
Your best bet is to wander around and find the spot you like best. For the best of Lewes cafes, I suggest you avoid the Costa on the High Street, unless you want to buy a coffee to go – it’s busy, but it’s not representative of Lewes. [/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-arrow-right”]Meander around The Needlemakers. This is mostly a crafts market, but has a cafe that serves delicious coffee, a shop that sells all kinds of buttons, a bookstore with an excellent selection of books, and shops with some interesting vintage clothing (real vintage, not the stuff that’s made now to look like vintage.) I once got a very cute fascinator there (in case you’re not familiar, a fascinator is a fancy hair accessory, hat or headband – imagine a headband with chic mesh and feathers.) From there, make your way across Market Street to the Lewes Flea Market – even if you’re not buying antiques, this place is wonderful – musty, full of trinkets, statues, painting, old comics, antique tools, books and jewellery. [/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-arrow-right”]Get lost. Walk along High Street and turn whenever you fancy – the side streets and alleys that veer off the High Street will take you to lovely nooks of the town. The centre of Lewes is not very big, people are friendly so don’t be afraid to ask for directions back to that pub you visited earlier in the day. [/li]
[li type=”glyphicon-arrow-right”]Other suggestions:
(1) You may want to climb the tower steps of Lewes Castle from which you can get great views of the Downs and Lewes
(2) Step into the Lewes Tourist Centre on High Street and ask for information about local walks. You can go for short walk around the Railway Land Wildlife Trust along the Ouse, or walk up a path behind The Snowdrop to the golf course and across the Downs to the Trevor Arms pub in Glynde where you can refuel for a walk back home (one way should take about 1hr) or hop on a train back to Lewes. There are plenty of other walks, too.
(3) Organize a tour at Harvey’s Brewery. Certainly, you should visit the shop and stock up on their seasonal ales. Note: The tours are very popular and you must book in advance…a few months in advance, if not a year!
(4) Gander and snoop around the Phoenix Place – it houses art studios, a skatepark and I think it’s the trendy, crafty, artsy, musical part of town. [/li]
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