Producing a Producer: Melanie's New Adventure: Lewes

Yesterday I decided to get out of the city. I took a day trip to a lovely little village called Lewes. It was a very easy journey, just a little over an hour on the train from London. Lewes is in Sussex which is South of London and not too far from the Brighton and the coast.

For a small town, there is a lot to see in Lewes. After walking from the train station past some adorable cottages and terrace houses that had been around for over hundred years, I found myself at the Anne of Cleves House. Anne of Cleves was the fourth wife of King Henry VIII and is one that survived. When Henry decided he didn't want to be married to Anne of Cleves anymore, she immediately conceded to a divorce. This gracious exit from their marriage left a positive impression on Henry and he gave her many gifts in their divorce settlement. Eventually, the two even become friends and Anne was welcome at court and referred to as The King's 'Sister'. One of the gifts Anne received from the King was this house in Lewes. The house was not occupied by Anne as she had other, more stately properties, but she rented the home to a wealthy middle-class farmer. The home is a museum and patrons are free to wander around at their own pace and discover how life was lived by common people in Tudor times.

After the Anne of Cleves House, I made my way to the historic High Street. Along the way, I took a detour through the magical Southover Grange Gardens. This is a fairly land filled with beautiful flowers, majestic trees and open meadows. The weather was absolutely perfect on Saturday so the gardens were host to people enjoying picnics or sunbathing. The Gardens were my favorite part of the whole trip. I honestly could have stayed there the whole day. But, up the hill, I went... eventually, to the High Street.

The High Street is British for Main Street and is most often a busy commercial shopping street and central location. Lewes' High Street is filled with old fashion shop fronts that no doubt stretch back many decades. Craft and antique shops are easy to find and if one needs a cup of tea or a pint of lager, those are readily available as well.

The center piece of the High Street is certainly Lewes Castle. The Castle was built 1000 years ago. It began with Norman William de Warenne just after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The Barbican was added in the 1300s. The West Tower is the highest point of the castle and from the top one can take in stunning views of the countryside. The museum offers archaeological artefacts from the earliest days of the settlement through the Roman occupation and Saxon invasions, up through the Medieval period.

I highly recommend a trip to Lewes. I can see myself escaping there again for some relaxation, especially in the Gardens. Next time, however, I might wear some sunscreen.

I have a busy week coming up. Still working on my final assignments
and projects for the course. I'll keep you posted!

Take care!
-m