I lived here many years ago, next to the fifteenth-century residence of Anne of Cleves, and I always enjoyed its steep cobbled streets and its characteristic tile-hung houses. It was at Lewes in 1264 that Simon de Montfort defeated King Henry III; and the town’s strategic importance is remembered in its castle, with a Norman inner gate. Other significant ruins include a Cluniac Priory dating from 1078, where I often used to walk. There were shadows here, and whispers, as if the monks were still going about their business. Lewes has changed dramatically since I knew it. A new bypass cuts across the water-meadows by the Priory. The old chandlers and butchers and haberdashers have all vanished. Two fine Lewes institutions remain intact, however: Harveys Brewery, with its fine range of Sussex ales; and the annual Lewes Bonfire celebrations, when bonfire societies parade in the streets and blazing tar barrels are thrown into the River Ouse. Some older traditions have survived in the area, however – traditions that are alien to Sussex.
