British Towns and Cities: Lewes
Garth Christian appraised the “ancient character” of Lewes, taking in its Puritanical influence, its legacy of ironworks and its architectural highlights.
“Dined at the White Harte, Lewes... ate the best duck sauce I ever tasted,” wrote Sylas Neville, squire, physician and student of law in his Diary for September, 1771. “What a pity it is that this delightful place is so near London, owing to which everything is very dear.” He is not the only man to have mourned this fact, though the cost of living in Lewes to-day is no higher than in any other Sussex town and probably lower than in most. Each summer, however, the citizens of the borough find it hard not to regret their town’s geographical position—seven miles from the sea and “forty-nine from Westminster Bridge,” to quote the milestone in Lewes High Street.
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