Lewes Castle & Barbican House Museum

About

"You can see Lewes lying like a box of toys under a great amphitheatre of chalky hills." So wrote William Morris, one of the many to comment on the idyllic setting of this historic town.

High above the medieval streets stands Lewes Castle, begun soon after 1066 by William de Warenne as his stronghold in Sussex and added to over the next 300 years, culminating in the magnificent Barbican. Steep climbs to the top of this and the adjacent keep are rewarded with spectacular views.

Next door, in Barbican House Museum, explore the archeological history of Sussex and the changing exhibitions in the upper gallery and visit the specialist history and archeological bookshop on the ground floor.

Find out more about things to do in Sussex or discover more castles in South East England.

Lewes Castle Reviews (from Google)

Average rating 4.25/5 from 4 reviews.

• Self-guided tour. Most of the spaces are sparse with only brief explanations, but it is a wonderful experience to peer over the battlements and imagine how it must have been to defend such a site -- and how difficult it would be to attack. The little museum outside the castle is well stocked with information.
  John, 2017 - 3 stars
• Really interesting background in to the history of Lewes. Great views!
  Matthew, 2017 - 5 stars
• Great views to be had from such a high vantage point. There is not a lot of actual castle to see but definitely worth a visit 
  Simon, 2017 - 4 stars
• Nice cute castle
  Laura, 2016 - 5 stars