City & Village Tours - Lewes & The Downs

This little gem of as day is ideal for groups in the South East who don’t want to travel too far for an enjoyable day out with lots of variety and interest. Start with morning coffee & biscuits included in the tour fee at a pub with beautiful views across the Sussex South Downs and visit the ancient town of Lewes including a tour of The Anne of Cleves House.

Meet the guide at 10-30am in Clayton, West Sussex, for morning coffee and biscuits at a pub with sweeping views of the Jack & Jill Mills on the South Downs ridgeway. A pleasant drive takes us to Lewes - the name comes from the Saxon for really very hilly indeed! But don’t worry - we specialise in creating entertaining days out for people who like to see a lot without walking too far. We tackle lovely Lewes in two parts – up the top for the high street and historic castle district and then a coach transfer to the lower Southover district to visit The Anne of Cleves House and a beautiful walled garden.

First then to the top of Lewes for a pretty little walking tour cleverly crafted to keep us either level or gently downhill as we pass the Norman Castle, Virginia Woolf’s holiday home and Tom Paine’s house. Enjoy astonishing and precipitous views and hear all about the rowdy Bonfire Societies, a unique part of Sussex history – there are six in Lewes alone. We break on the high street for lunch with plenty of choices and interesting shops to browse.

After lunch a short coach transfer to The Anne of Cleves House. This is one of the oldest houses in Sussex a remarkably well preserved Wealden Hall House full of mediaeval and Elizabethan craftsmanship. Anne got the property in her divorce settlement but never lived here. There’ll be a short guided tour and free time to enjoy the house and peaceful garden before walking a few hundred yards to the beautiful walled garden of an Elizabethan manor house built by an ancestor of Sir Isaac Newton. Enjoy an ice cream or a drink from the tea kiosk, browse in the Sussex Guild of Artists shop or visit the pub on the corner for a refreshing shandy before heading home at 4-45pm.

Available every day except Sundays 1 April to 31 October 2012. Includes a gentle walking tour, nothing too far but anything even a short walking tour will be tricky for anyone who really struggles.