Firework Night
by biggeorge
5th of November is used by the towns Bonfire societies to commerate the foiling of the gunpowder plot to blow up Parliament and the earlier burning at the stake of 15 protestant martyrs by burning effigies of the Pope and anyone who else who happens to be annoying them at the time.
This is very un-pc but there's no actual anti-catholic hatred in the town ,it's just a tradition that died out in most other places.
To be honest most other Sussex towns still have torchlight processions and burn effigies of Guy Fawkes ,but one of the smaller villages got into trouble last year after burning effigies of a family of gypsies in a caravan.
LEWES - 'IT'S NICER THAN BRIGHTON!'
by themajor
"COUNTY TOWN OF THE TWEEDY AND TRENDY"
Lewes is one of my favourite towns in the United Kingdom. Although I don't happen to live here I do visit every week pursuing my long-held love of antiques and auctions. I often pause by estate agents windows and go through my customary daydream - which has lasted almost 30 years now - of pretending which expensive flint built townhouse i will be moving into next week. I never quite realise these lofty ambtions as the small matter of money always gets in the way. I am working on it.
The town is a delight. A curious mix of conservative tweedy respectibility (for Lewes was the county town of East Sussex before administrative governmental meddling started juggling with our delightfully ancient traditions) and green eco-warriordom (WWOOF, Willing Workers On Organic Farms is based here together with the worlds' supply of dried lentils...well, more than the odd bagful anyway.) Such is the Jekyll and Hyde nature of the place that you get wonderfully earnest ventures selling organic nuclear-free hemp* sitting decorously alongside shops that purvey elegantly coiled lengths of rope for you to display upon your mantlepiece next to your Philippe Stark lemon squeezer. Add a real life mediaeval castle, Anne of Cleves' Tudor hideaway, twee cottages, art galleries and a splendid smattering of characterful shops and you can't go wrong. Brighton may be bright and breezy but you'll love Lewes. And I haven't even mentioned the UK's most extraordinary Bonfire Night celebrations...
*I believe it is only right that I declare myself as being an organic-eating green-living non-car owner. It doesn't quite go with the solatopi but I am indeed an odd mix....
"THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE REALLY..."
Lewes Castle
by Mariajoy
"Lewes"
PetraE and I went to Lewes to buy her a new cello. We popped in to her mum and dad's lovely home for a coffee and a kit kat and a little chat before we set off to look for The Academy Music Shop in the town. She showed off her musical prowess on the cello and I listened as she played Seven Nation Army and Edelweiss for a while in the basement and in the end she took one on approval (a large honey coloured model.) Rather than carry the cello up the steep slope to the castle we said we would call back for it later .After a vegetarian all day breakfast for me and a tuna bap for her we went up to Lewes Castle (Norman) (£4.50 for adults), owned by The Sussex Archaeological Society.
The views over Petra's home town were stunning and she could point out her old dentists, pubs she frequented as a teenager, and the cafe where she used to work on saturdays, etc etc. This was of course entirely fascinating for me, the visitor. You can climb up The Barbican and The Keep (lots of steps, hang on to the rope and your camera, digicams seem to become strangely slippery don't they?). In the museum are all kinds of interesting little artefacts from various archeological digs in the area, prehistoric, Roman,Medieval etc. You know, the usual bits of old bones, bits of terracota pots, lumps of rock and beads and bits of flint. The boar tusks found locally held a modicum of interest though.
On the way back we picked up the cello and carried it through the town without mishap only pausing to buy a vegetable samosa and a piece of carrot cake in a nice little organic shop. On the way home in the car we listened to Damien Rice and I had a piece of tiffin to sustain me on the long journey.
The last 4 miles from Southese
Village of West Firle
WW2 Memorial
Newhaven and the Channel from South Downs
