Lewes Castle & Museum

One of the oldest castles in England. 🇬🇧 🏰 The castle was built soon after the Norman Conquest by William de Warren, one of William II the Conqueror's closest allies at the Battle of Hastings.👊 Begun around 1069, it is the second Norman castle in Sussex after Hastings Castle, chosen for its imposing ridge overlooking the River Ouse and the road to London.🙆‍♂️ Its twin hills and flint walls still dominate the landscape almost a thousand years later, a reminder of how quickly England has changed since 1066.🤷 Every time I visit a castle, I find it extremely interesting.🤌

I had no idea there was even a castle at Lewes! Free to all today and I believe this weekend. Magnificent views of Lewes today from the top of the castle. The museum has a truly amazing model village where you watch a video about the history of Lewes. Somebody very talented put so much detail into it. Well worth a visit.

Proud little castle on the high street bang in the middle of Lewes. Lots of signs with information and a great view all the way at the top. The museum has fun displays and a whole mini version of the town.

Really enjoyable place to visit. So much history to soak up. My only gripe is that, in my efforts to fully immerse myself in the period, wearing chainmail and full armour made the ascent to the top of the castle painstakingly slow. Why oh why when they built it didn't they have the forethought to put in either an escalator or starlift? Apart from this observation, it really was fantastic. The museum was child friendly so I learnt a lot.

My first visit to Lewes, ostensibly to visit the Anne of Cleves House, but there's a joint ticket available to also visit the castle and I'm glad we did. It was fascinating, well presented and the interpretive material was excellent. The views from the tower are well worth the climb, highly recommended.

Lovely place. Not much left to the castle but a supporting museum, with lots of info. about the castle and the town of Lewes. You can climb to the top of both mottes. Cracking views of Lewes and the South Downs from the top! Nice gardens, staff, and a good price. Upgrade to an annual pass when you use Gift Aid.

I absolutely loved this place! Even in the rain and gloom it's beautiful! We got to go up into two of the towers and you can access quite a bit of this property even though it's very old. You pay directly across the street in the museum and then they let you have access to the castle. It'll take about an hour at the most. The views are beautiful. The parking is sparse so prepare yourself to take a while looking for somewhere to park, even in the winter during the off season. The museum, where you purchase a ticket, is actually really nice. They have a lot of artifacts which are displayed very nicely. It goes over a lot of the history and things that were found on the property. We went on a Sunday and most of the shops in the town were closed, I would definitely recommend going when they're open because the town is absolutely charming.

There was more to Lewes Castle than I thought. you buy tickets in the museum and gift shop building , then a member of staff lets you into the castle it's self. There is quite a lot of stairs, so bare this in mind if you have mobility issues. once you've made the climb, there is a lot of information on the castles history. The view from the top is memorable.

After seeing the other castles throughout Europe, Lewes Castle was not memorable or breathtaking. The area was not that big and there was not much to do. The city of Lewes is a small quaint town and you can explore all of it in less than a day. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes cuz you'll be doing a lot of that around town. I explored this area during my summer abroad at University of Sussex and it is only a train stop away from Falmer Train Station. Tourists, if you don't have time, you can skip out on this.

Lewes Castle is one of the oldest Norman castles, built immediately after the conquest between about 1069-1070, although its reconstruction in stone may not have been completed until 1100. It was built by William de Warenne, a close associate of William the Conqueror, who also founded nearby Lewes Priory. The original castle was much larger than the remains we see to-day: it originally had two keeps, each built on artificial castle mounds ('Mottes') at either end of the fortified compound. The reason for this unusual design is not known, but to-day only the southerly mound and keep survive, though they are impressive enough. Equally impressive, especially as you approach it, is the 14th century barbican (gatehouse), added to improve the fortifications. The castle played host to Henry III during one of the pivotal battles of English history, when his troops were defeated by Simon de Montfort in 1264, just north of the town. Although killed a year later by Henry's son, the future Edward I, de Montfort is regarded by many as the originator of representative Parliamentary government. Over the years the town has encroached on the castle, and to-day the site is a delightful mix of castle, houses, gardens and lanes. A charge is levied to visit the gatehouse and keep, and the small museum adjacent. In summer, the gardens are lovely, and the views from the Keep and Gatehouse over the town and to the South Downs beyond are stunning.

As an activity leader for an international language school, as part of the role, I have to take students to a variety of 'educational' places, this being one of them. Having taken the kids here once, I really don't see myself doing it again. It isn't that Lewes Castle is bad particularly, it is actually relatively interesting. However, if you've been to more well known castles, Lewes won't exactly knock your socks off. It is quite small and nothing out of the ordinary, although that is really Lewes all over.

Its very easy to view this castle from many angles around Lewes. It cost £4.50p for an adult to actually walk around the interior, well whats left of it. I didn't pay that. I thought it very expensive. This town is lucky to have such an ancient relic. I enjoy the rawness of the stonework. Its so rugged and stubborn to look at. I don't know much about its history but guess its at least 400 years old.

The castle is one of those features that not many cities can boast of, let alone small towns! The castle is set at the top of the high street on the high ground (guess that makes sense when it was originally built). Sadly, compared to a number of the more impressive castle's in he country, Lewes castle is in a state of semi ruin. This in no way detracts from the overall magic of exploring the remains off our cultural history (well Norman cultural history). There is a museum which you get to see, as well as your exploration of the castle proper. What is still remaining gives enough fuel for the imagination to picture the ramparts in their full glory. The gate house and such is still okay, so you do get to see some castle. If you have never been to the castle, then it is well worth a visit to appreciate how the country changed post 1066 and also because it personifies the spirit of Lewes residents. The staff and guides really do care and are proud of their local heritage. Children will especially have a good time and a welcome break from high street shopping.

Previous reviews say it all, in particular dmj1962 The stonework is interesting and there is so much potential for Black/White/Monochrome photography. Some angles are extreme giving great contrast against some alterantive softer backgrounds. Prices up now to £6.40 and £3.30 for adults and children respectively. Not much of concession at 50p ie £5.90 for those that qualify

Let's start off by saying that Lewes Castle isn't the most impressive castle I have ever seen. I mean, it fits nicely in Lewes, but Edinburgh this is not. Saying this, it is still interesting to see a proper old castle and transport your mind back to those Medieval days when it was all pillaging, bows and arrows. I wouldn't exactly go to Lewes Castle every week, or even go a second time for that matter, but it is definitely worth seeing if you do decide to take a day trip to the town. There is also the Castle Museum/Shop next door, when you can brush up on your castle knowledge and gain some insight into the formative years of this Sussex town. Also, you can buy some Lewes related knick-knacks for all of your loved ones - Christmas is fast approaching! Lewes Castle - it's a castle, in Lewes.

This is such an amazing Norman castle. It is the castle of storybooks and the one you imagine in Robin Hood. It dates from the 14th century and has remained intact so you get a real sense of what it was like to live there. I didn't take the tour when I visited and sort of regretted it because what I overheard of it sounded brilliant-really informative and fun. Still, they have made an effort to put up information as you go along so that you can learn about Medieval life, history and the uses of the castle. There is a great view over the town and countryside from the turrets. Turrets! What more could you ask.