Lewes - Just How Insane is It?

[Lady Bracknell]

I find myself perfectly at home in Lewes. Nothing to explain, nothing to apologise for.

 

[Grassman]

A few of us regularly travel down to Lewes for breakfast at Bills. Now that, as The Large One notes, is full of yummie mummies! Mmmmmh!

 

[drew]

I used to think nothing of Lewes but last weekend I was waiting for my daughter to finish a school workshop at the castle so sat in the museum and watched the short film of the history (sad I know).

Transpires that the town was a parliamentarian stronghold at the time of the civil war and very protestant. It was the MP for Lewes that signed the kings death warrant.

The burning of the effigy of the pope dates back to when protestants were killed under the rule of Mary who tried to convert England back to a catholic country in 17th Century.

The castle was built in the 11th century at which time Lewes was about the 15th biggest town in the country. How times change.

 

[sammy g]

Having moved there from Brighton five years ago (not being able to live more then ten miles from home) I have experienced the town from within and am still struggling to get to grips with it.

On the positive side it is very pretty and steeped in history,you do not have the desperate struggle to get your kids into good schools as in B&H,its close to Brighton and even closer to our new stadium! There is a strong activist spirit in the town which aims to stop the spread of shops like Tesco's spreading and destroying the smaller shops, which I admire.

However the strong activist spirit can also be very arrogant, there is an attitude that Lewes is something unique and so special that they look down on other Towns and Cities, particular IMO Brighton. During the whole stadium issue, a lot of the anti-stadium feeling was down to an anti-Brighton and hove attitude as much as anything else.

As for the Bonfire. They are obsessed! I did not buy a programme from someone who came to the house prior to last years event. Because I didn't want to spend £3 on tat! It was if I had shot the seller; I was surprised they did not drag up the hill and stick me in one of their bonfires, such was the reaction!

 

[Gwylan]

I used to think nothing of Lewes but last weekend I was waiting for my daughter to finish a school workshop at the castle so sat in the museum and watched the short film of the history (sad I know).

Transpires that the town was a parliamentarian stronghold at the time of the civil war and very protestant. It was the MP for Lewes that signed the kings death warrant.

The burning of the effigy of the pope dates back to when protestants were killed under the rule of Mary who tried to convert England back to a catholic country in 17th Century.

The castle was built in the 11th century at which time Lewes was about the 15th biggest town in the country. How times change.

And of course, it was after Simon de Montfort's victory at the Battle of Lewes in 1264 that the first steps towards parliamentary democracy were taken - no wonder it was a parliamentary town.

BTW, Mary was the 16th century not 17th - she preceded Elizabeth.
And Anthony Stapley was MP for Lewes and was one of Charles 1's regicides but wasn't an MP when he signed the death warrant.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I find myself perfectly at home in Lewes. Nothing to explain, nothing to apologise for.

Quite right.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

Have fun. I live opposite. My parents are going

Great night last night. Hope your mum and dad had fun.

Camilla is built like a stick insect...no wonder she looks fab in those latin bits of material.

BTW latin shirts do not suite balding 50 somethings with a larger physique

 

[Gwylan]

BTW latin shirts do not suite balding 50 somethings with a larger physique

 

[Publius Ovidius]

no, mine was one of these black see through things that was not flattering at all.

Nice try though

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Horrible place. I spent too much of my childhood there.

 

[Dandyman]

Following on from talking about burning stuff. How bonkers is Lewes?

It has always freaked me out a bit. The castle, the prison, the bonfires, the 2cvs and craft shops. the place oozes nuttiness, but like someone really trying to repress it unlike brighton which (until the makeover) was like someone just shouting at no one and swigging sherry in steine gardens.

burning people, right through to blowing up parking meters. what is it about the place.

anyone got any good Lewes stories?

Well...some years ago at Easter there used to be a large cross placed on the mount that overlooks the Dripping Pan and is next to the ruins of the Cluniac monastery.

One particular Easter in the early 80's the good people of Lewes woke to find the cross had been inverted over night and palced upside down. The local press follwed this up with lurid tales of satanism and black magic abroad in the county town.

The truth of the tale was that "some local youths" had exited a local pub after a few sherberts and decided to have a little fun...

 

[Dandyman]

I grew up in Lewes and I have many happy memories of the town. I recall receiving a lifetime ban from the Odeon Cinema for lobbing a banger (firework, not hot dog) into the crowded foyer on a Saturday night. The following month I returned to the scene of the crime only to receive another lifetime ban, along with a few other mates. We were sat in the front row and were flicking lit fag ends up into the beam of the projector, thus creating an interesting 'firefly' effect. You should try it.

The Odeon Cinema which was in Cliffe High Street has long gone. There was another one on School Hill, the inappropriately named Cinema De Luxe. This was surely the cinema that gave birth to the term 'fleapit'. The manager, irreverantly known as Flashlight Fred, was a moral crusader, using his industrial sized torch to illuminate and deter back row hanky panky.

I like to go back to Lewes from time to time, but it's just not the same.

I remember various ne'r do wells nicking lead off the roof of the Odeon in the late 1970s after it closed.

 

[Skintagain 1983]

Well...some years ago at Easter there used to be a large cross placed on the mount that overlooks the Dripping Pan and is next to the ruins of the Cluniac monastery.

One particular Easter in the early 80's the good people of Lewes woke to find the cross had been inverted over night and palced upside down. The local press follwed this up with lurid tales of satanism and black magic abroad in the county town.

The truth of the tale was that "some local youths" had exited a local pub after a few sherberts and decided to have a little fun...

Deny, deny and deny again. It wasn't me. As young Bart Simpson might say "I didn't do it!"

But I know a man who did.... .. and where were you that bright evening Mr S?

 

[Skintagain 1983]

And who did the super glue in the Tory Party offices front door lock??

Oh the 80's... and the Lewes Rebel Army.. what fun we had

 

[Barnham Seagull]

Grew up in Lewes and Ringmer and have some great memories.

The history of Lewes is very interesting and bonfire night is great and I enjoying going back to visit as the place and history is fantastic.

But Lewes has become infested with arty farty Liberals who dont want to do anything for the common Joe, everyting seems to be aimed at the arty lot these days to the detrement of everyone else.

Thats the way I see it anyway and friends still living there.

 

[Dandyman]

Deny, deny and deny again. It wasn't me. As young Bart Simpson might say "I didn't do it!"

But I know a man who did.... .. and where were you that bright evening Mr S?

I am afraid I can neither confirm or deny any such rumours if indeed such rumours in fact exist.