It’s definitely worth a wander through the Cliffe area, you can sit on the bridge and look out across the River Ouse and we are lucky to have the famous Harvey & Sons Brewery that runs so many of the traditional pubs. They produce different ales to suit all seasons and run factory tours as well as a well-stocked shop. We have many pubs in Lewes and most of them are still very traditional with a really rustic feel to them and it’s a joy to go out in the evening. I love the way I always meet someone I know because of the many local families that still live here or that just like to come back and enjoy an evening out with old friends and family. Southover Grange is another of the town’s gems. Such beautifully, wellkept gardens that attract many of the lunchtime crowd in summer that like to relax and eat there. I was married in the grange so it holds lovely and happy memories for me and my family. Nearby is Anne of Cleves House in Southover High Street which is a lovely old Tudor building given to Henry VIII’s fourth wife as part of her divorce settlement – I love the fact they hold weddings there now. Lewes has many twittens that lead to small shops hidden away or pretty old houses tucked away. I love Keere Street, the cobbled hill with the 15th century bookshop at the top. The Pells School which is now known as Lewes New School holds many memories for me. It’s a lovely building and has been there since 1886 – from the outside it has never changed and I was always happy as a pupil there. My grandparents, mum, my siblings all went there and it goes without saying that my sons attended too. I love to walk through The Pells which is a beautiful area complete with a lake and open-air pool. I spent many school holidays there, taking a packed lunch and spending time just splashing about and swimming. It would be impossible not to mention my love of November 5, the night when thousands of people join together in different bonfire societies to set Lewes alight with torches and fireworks. It is certainly the UK’s largest and most famous bonfire night and a fantastic event for both Lewesians and visitors. Lewes is a great place to come to wallow in history or walk in the tranquility of the Downs or through the High Street taking in the many old buildings or just absorbing the general buzz of the town. The people are friendly and it’s my home and a place I love – once you visit, you will never forget our lovely town. By Vivien Barker
Keere Street
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