Lewes is one of those small county towns where you can feel the layers of time on the street. A Norman castle, built soon after 1066, sits on a mound in the middle, and the main street, the High Street, climbs steeply toward it in a long curve of old brick, tile and timber. In 1264 Simon de Montfort defeated Henry III in a battle on the slopes outside the town, a moment often seen as the start of English parliamentary government, and the place has stayed a little rebellious ever since.
The town is famous for two things. Every fifth of November it holds the biggest Bonfire Night celebrations in England, when the streets fill with processions, torches and fireworks, and the roads around the town are closed, so avoid it unless you are very keen. It also has the Harvey's brewery beside the river Ouse, a handsome Victorian building that has produced Sussex ale for more than two centuries, and the smell of malt sometimes drifts across the bridge. Thomas Paine, author of The Rights of Man, lived in the town for several years, and a statue of him stands near the station.
As a food stop, Lewes is very easy. The town is full of independent cafés, bakeries and pubs, and the side streets, known as twittens, are good for a wander. The Downs press close on every side, with the road from Brighton arriving along a green valley. Parking can be tight, but there are car parks near the station and the river, and motorcycles can usually find a spot at the edge of the centre.
The roads around Lewes are a delight. The lanes through the Ouse valley to Glynde and Firle are quiet and winding, with chalk hills rising on either side, and the A27 gives a fast link to the coast. Lewes has about seventeen thousand people, with petrol stations and supermarkets on the edges, so fuel is straightforward. Keep an eye out for the steep, narrow streets near the centre, where the cobbles can be slippery after rain.