Where is Lewes Castle?

Lewes Castle is in East Sussex, South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode BN7 1YE), in the parish of Lewes.

How do I get to Lewes Castle?

The nearest railway station is Lewes, about 0.4 km away. Drivers can use postcode BN7 1YE.

Who owns Lewes Castle?

Lewes Castle is owned by William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey.

Is Lewes Castle a listed building?

Lewes Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.

Is Lewes Castle a protected site?

Yes — Lewes Castle is part of the High Weald National Landscape (AONB).

Does Lewes Castle charge admission?

Lewes Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.

How do I get to Lewes Castle?

The nearest railway station is Lewes, about 0.4 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode BN7 1YE.

Castles · South East England

Lewes Castle

Also known as: Castell Lewes

In or near Kingston near Lewes.

Paid admission♿ Wheelchair: limited★ 4.5 · 1,736 Google reviews££

Lewes Castle — Grade I listed ruins in Lewes, United Kingdom.

Lewes Castle, castles in East Sussex — Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit: 1.5 h–3 h
Nearest railway station: Lewes · 0.4 km

Paid entry
Family-friendly
Limited wheelchair access

Getting there & planning your visit

To visit Lewes Castle, the nearest railway station is Lewes, located 0.4 km away. Entry is paid, and wheelchair accessibility is limited. The postcode for sat-nav is BN7 1YE.

Directions on Google Maps →

Lewes Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Owned by William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey. Address: BN7 1YE. Wikidata describes it as: "Grade I listed ruins in Lewes, United Kingdom". Coordinates: 50.8728°, 0.0072°.

Photo gallery

360° view

Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0

Heritage listing

Lewes Castle is a medieval castle in the town of Lewes in East Sussex, England. Originally called Bray Castle, it occupies a commanding position guarding the gap in the South Downs cut by the River Ouse and occupied by the towns of Lewes and Cliffe. It stands on a man-made mount just to the north of the high street in Lewes, and is constructed from local limestone and flint blocks.

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.

Summary from the official site

Lewes Castle is a historic Norman fortress built after the Battle of Hastings, offering visitors panoramic views of Sussex from its Keep. The site also features a museum showcasing archaeological artifacts from prehistoric to medieval times, along with various exhibitions and events throughout the year.

Read more on the official property page.

Protected designations

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: High Weald

Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

]] The castle follows a motte and bailey design but, unusually, it has two mottes, and the only other castle in England to have that structure is Lincoln Castle. Towers were added to one of the shell keeps in the 13th century and a barbican gate was added in the 14th century. When the last of the de Warennes, John, the 7th Earl, died without issue in 1347, he was buried in Lewes Priory. His title passed to his nephew Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel. The castle was leased by Sussex Archaeological Society from 1850, and was acquired by Charles Thomas-Stanford and gifted to the Sussex Archaeological Society in 1922.

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates: 50.8728, 0.0072
County: East Sussex
District: Lewes
Parish: Lewes
Postcode: BN7 1YE
Parliamentary constituency: Lewes
Phone: 01273 486290
Nearest railway station: Lewes — 0.4 km
Opening: Tuesday to Sunday 10am–5pm; closed Mondays
Official site: sussexpast.co.uk

Sources

wikidata: Q386703 (CC0)
wikipedia: Lewes Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
commons: Keep To Lewes Castle April 2018 02.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Where to eat & stay near Lewes Castle

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