The History of Eccentric Lewes: From the High Street to the Castle

Lewes is a town that refuses to be pushed around by authority, with centuries of eccentricity and rebellious spirit baked into its very walls. On this historical walking tour, you'll explore the extraordinary architecture, quirky traditions, and colourful characters that have shaped this distinctive Sussex town. From mathematical tiles and exuberant brickwork to the infamous bonfire celebrations that define the town's character, you'll discover Lewes's unique blend of defiance, craftsmanship, and architectural innovation.

The tour starts at the Jireh Chapel, a grade 1 listed building with a surprisingly strong anti-Catholic sentiment tied to Lewes's famous bonfire traditions. You'll weave through the town's narrow streets and explore lanes once used as ditches, passing a variety of building materials and wall coverings that showcase the town's architectural diversity. Along the way, you'll learn how Lewes was an important river port where seagoing ships moored alongside warehouses, and discover the won't be druv mentality that prevented 1960s planners from running a highway through the middle of town.

You'll examine walls crafted with knapped flint, bricks scorched to a beautiful gray patina, and mathematical tiles designed to disguise unfashionable Tudor houses as fashionable Georgian ones. You'll discover how local brickies were encouraged to express their artistic side, resulting in extraordinarily decorative walls, and hear about the determined locals who saved buildings from demolition. The tour ends at Lewes Castle, where you'll learn about the town's tumultuous history and see one of only two irregularly surfaced bowling greens in the country, yet another example of Lewes individuality.

On this 90-minute tour, you'll have a chance to:

• Visit the site where 17 Protestant martyrs were burned at the stake, commemorated by the town's famous bonfire celebrations where political effigies are still blown up today
• Examine unique architectural features like mathematical tiles designed to make timber-framed houses look like fashionable Georgian brick buildings
• See the home of Gideon Mantell, the cobbler's son who first discovered dinosaurs but whose wife may have done much of the unacknowledged work
• Discover how local craftsmen created stunning decorative effects with flint, brick, and tile, including the extraordinary flint ceiling at the Depot cinema
• Hear stories of modern rebellion, including the successful six-month boycott of a pub that stopped serving the local Harvey's beer
• Explore the medieval Lewes Castle with its 14th-century barbican built to keep out the French (unsuccessfully, as it turned out)
• Find a rare example of Sussex marble, limestone formed in river mud rather than the sea, valued for its non-slip properties

This quirky tour reveals how the independent spirit of Lewes has persisted through centuries, shaping everything from its buildings to its celebrations. You'll see firsthand why the local saying Sussex won't be druv (Sussex won't be driven) continues to define this remarkable town.