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Castle
Lewes Castle
Norman castle built after the Battle of Hastings; climb the keep for views, then visit the Museum of Sussex Archaeology next door.
A mini guide to
Lewes and the Seven Sisters: things to do
Places worth your time in Lewes and the Seven Sisters
Top places
Things to do in Lewes and the Seven Sisters
Landmarks, museums, parks and viewpoints in and around the area.
Historic house
Anne of Cleves House
Timber-framed 15th-century house given to Anne of Cleves after her marriage to Henry VIII ended; Tudor kitchen and garden.
Directions Website Report a problem with Anne of Cleves House
Ruins
Lewes Priory
Ruins of the Priory of St Pancras, founded in the 11th century by William de Warenne and dissolved in 1537, with a herb garden.
Garden
Southover Grange Gardens
Public gardens of a house built in 1572, in the centre of Lewes; they host events from theatre to beer festivals.
Historic house
Monk's House
Virginia and Leonard Woolf's cottage and garden at Rodmell, now National Trust; pre-booking essential, reopening 26 March 2027.
Historic house
Charleston
Country home of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, decorated by the Bloomsbury artists, with a garden, galleries and café.
Opera house
Glyndebourne
Opera house on a country estate near Lewes, known for its summer opera festival; there is also an autumn season.
Historic house
Alfriston Clergy House
Thatched 14th-century Wealden hall house on The Tye; in 1896 it became the first building the National Trust bought.
Directions Website Report a problem with Alfriston Clergy House
Hill figure
Long Man of Wilmington
Hill figure on Windover Hill, recorded since at least 1710 and Europe's largest portrayal of the human form; free to visit.
Directions Website Report a problem with Long Man of Wilmington
Zoo
Drusillas Park
Small zoo near Alfriston focused on conservation and children, with play areas and rides.
Country park
Seven Sisters Country Park
280 hectares of chalk grassland and the meandering Cuckmere valley, leading to the beach at Cuckmere Haven.
Directions Website Report a problem with Seven Sisters Country Park
Beach
Cuckmere Haven
Shingle beach where the meandering River Cuckmere meets the sea, with the Coastguard Cottages and the view of the Seven Sisters.
Coast
Birling Gap
National Trust clifftop café and shop on the Seven Sisters, with 50 steps down to a shingle beach.
Lighthouse
Belle Tout Lighthouse
Decommissioned clifftop lighthouse near Beachy Head, moved back from the eroding edge in one piece in 1999.
Viewpoint
Beachy Head
Britain's highest chalk sea cliff, 162 metres above the sea, with views along the coast towards the Isle of Wight.
Photo credits
- Lewes and the Seven Sisters (area photo): Colin Park, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Lewes Castle: Arild Vågen, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Anne of Cleves House: Charlesdrakew, Public domain, source
- Lewes Priory: JohnArmagh, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Southover Grange Gardens: Antiquary, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Monk's House: Oliver Mallinson Lewis from Oxford, United Kingdom, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Charleston: Elisa.rolle, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Glyndebourne: Wolfiewolf, CC BY 2.0, source
- Alfriston Clergy House: The Voice of Hassocks, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Long Man of Wilmington: Shiroi Hane, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Drusillas Park: Andy Li, CC0, source
- Seven Sisters Country Park: Ian Hawfinch, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Cuckmere Haven: ChrisO~enwiki at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Birling Gap: Peter Barr, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Belle Tout Lighthouse: Tom Rayner, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Beachy Head: Ian Stannard from Southsea, England, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Midhurst and Petworth: Martyn Pattison, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
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