Lewes

Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England. It is situated in a gap in the South Downs where the river Ouse runs. It also serves as the administrative capital of the Lewes district.

Related Topics:
East Sussex - England - South Downs - Ouse - Lewes district

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To the east of the town the downs rise sharply forming a large chalk cliff that can be seen for many miles. The adjacent part of the town is known as Cliffe. The southern part of the town is known as Southover.

Related Topics:
Chalk - Cliff

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The name Lewes comes from the Anglo-Saxon word "Hlew", which means "Hill". The town is indeed largely built on a hill.

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The town was the site of the Battle of Lewes in 1264. It is the location of several historic buildings, including Lewes Castle, the remains of Lewes Priory and the so-called Anne of Cleves House (which was owned, but never lived in, by the divorced queen). Lewes is also the headquarters of the Sussex Archaeological Society.

Related Topics:
Battle of Lewes - 1264 - Lewes Castle - Lewes Priory - Anne of Cleves - Sussex Archaeological Society

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In 1768 Thomas Paine moved to Lewes to take up a post as an excise officer. He had previously apprenticed as an exciseman in Grantham in Lincolnshire from December 1762 before serving as exciseman for Alford from August 1764. He was sacked for claiming to have inspected goods when in fact he had only seen the documentation. His appeal to be re-instated was successful and he was appointed to a position in Grampound in Cornwall on 15 May 1767. He asked for leave to await another vacancy and was appointed to Lewes on 19 February 1768. It was in Lewes that he first began to take an active role in politics. He served on the town council and joined the local debating society called the Headstrong Club, which met at the White Hart Inn. Upon demanding a higher salary he was sacked as an excise officer for a second time. He responded by publishing a pamphlet entitled The Case of the Officers of Excise.

Related Topics:
1768 - Thomas Paine - Grantham - Lincolnshire - December - 1762 - Alford - August - 1764 - Grampound - Cornwall - 15 May - 1767 - 19 February - Headstrong Club

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On December 27, 1836, an avalanche occurred in Lewes, the worst ever recorded in England. It was caused by a large build-up of snow on the nearby cliff slipping down onto a row of cottages called Boulder Row (now part of South Street). About fifteen people were buried, and eight of these died. A pub in South Street is named The Snowdrop in memory of the event.

Related Topics:
December 27 - 1836 - Avalanche - England - Pub

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