3-043-815 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Lewes Castle, Sussex, 1872. 'The county town of Sussex is Lewes, eight miles from Brighton, on the banks of the Ouse, and on the steep side of a hill in the heart of the South Downs, close to Mount Caburn and Mount Harry. The ruins of the ancient Castle and those of the Priory of St. Pancras are of great antiquarian interest. They bear witness to the feudal power and wealth of William Earl de Warrenne, the husband of William the Conqueror's daughter Gundrada. He built the Castle for himself and his heirs, the priory for a community of monks from Cluny, recommended by Archbishop Lanfranc. The chief tower of the Castle is occupied by the local museum of the Sussex Archaeological Society. These ruins have a striking aspect, and a fine view is obtained from the summit of the tower'. From "Illustrated London News", 1872.