Lewes - Part One

In this, the first of a two-part article I take a look at an historic town in neighbouring Sussex; a town which is home to an iconic brewery, and a town with traditions going back centuries and which takes its Bonfire Night celebrations very seriously indeed.

I am talking about Lewes, of course, and whilst there is some mention of beer, with particular regard to the town’s celebrated brewery, the post is more about Lewes itself, and how it has grown in my affections over the years.

I have something of a soft spot for Lewes. Nestled in a fold in the South Downs, this historic old town with its narrow twisting streets, and attractive ancient buildings, occupies a fitting role as the county town of East Sussex. Lewes has some deep-rooted traditions, the best known of which are the famous Bonfire Night celebrations that take place every year on November 5th. Then the whole town comes to a standstill, as various local bonfire-societies parade through the town in a variety of colourful costumes (more about that later).

The famous Bonfire Night celebrations

Probably the main reason though why Lewes rate so highly in my affections, is that it is home to my favourite brewery - Harvey & Son Ltd. In addition, but of secondary importance, is the fact that I spent three and a half years working for a company based on the edge of the town. Although I disliked the job I was doing (as well as the long journey each way), I did leave a number of good friends there when I left.

I first became acquainted with the town in 1969, whilst on a Youth-Hostelling holiday.  I was aged 14 at the time, and was with a group of young people on a walk along the South Downs Way. We had begun our journey at Eastbourne, and were heading for Brighton on the second leg of our journey. We stopped off in Lewes for lunch, on the second day of our trip, picnicking in the grounds of the imposing castle in the centre of the town.

Harvey's Brewery - known as the cathedral of Lewes

It was only a fleeting visit, but the memory struck in my mind. It was to be some 12 years before I next visited the town, and by this time I had began to take an interest in beer and breweries. The fact that Harvey’s brewed in Lewes seemed a good enough reason to visit the town, but it was not until the early 1980’s that the chance came about.

During that time I was actively involved with the Maidstone & Mid-Kent Branch of CAMRA, and in the summer of 1982, our social secretary came up with the idea of arranging a bus trip to Lewes. Knowing that a prominent member of the neighbouring Gravesend CAMRA Branch, called Roland Graves, was the co-owner of a vintage double-decker bus, and also the holder of a P.S.V. Licence, was sufficient for our man to get in touch with Roland in order to take things further.

It turned out that Roland was happy to provide the transport for our trip, and also to act as our chauffeur providing the trip could be arranged as a joint venture between our two branches. So on a Saturday evening in late August, a bus full of eager CAMRA members set off in high spirits to make the 40 mile journey to Lewes.

The trip seemed to take an age, due to the bus being limited to a top speed of forty miles per hour, but it gave us time to appreciate the scenic countryside of Kent and Sussex which we passed through en route. When we arrived, Roland parked the bus, and we all set off, eager to explore the town and its pubs.

The odd thing about Lewes pubs is that whilst the town is home to Harvey’s, there are only three tied Harvey’s pubs in the town itself. At the time of our visit, most pubs in Lewes belonged to the firm of Beard & Co. Beards were a pub owning chain which opted out of brewing in 1958. For the next quarter of a century they contracted out the production of their beers to Harvey’s. One reason for them stopping brewing was their cramped, town-centre brewery, in Star Lane, Lewes, was suffering from a yeast infection. Beards felt that by pooling resources with Harvey’s, the future of both companies would be assured. Harvey’s would benefit from the increased capacity, whilst Beards would not have the bother of having to brew the beer themselves.

This arrangement lasted until 1986, when Beards pubs became free to choose from a wide range of different cask ales supplied by the company’s wholesaling division. This side of the business was later sold off; becoming the well-known wholesaling company The Beer Seller. During the early 90’s Beard’s pubs began offering Beards Best Bitter, which was produced exclusively for the company and allegedly to the original recipe, by the Arundel Brewery, based in nearby West Sussex.

The new deal didn’t last long though, as in the summer of 1998, Beard & Co agreed the sale of their entire tied estate to Greene King, and the company to all intents and purposes ceased to exist. It was rumoured that Harvey’s were somewhat put out by this deal, as not only did they lose their remaining supply contract with Beards, but they also lost the chance to buy the company’s pubs. It is believed that Harvey’s, had been under the impression they would get “first refusal” on Beards, should the latter ever come up for sale, although Harvey’s have never openly admitted this.

Lewes Arms - not sure about the old boy in the foreground

To return to the narrative, and that 1982 visit to Lewes; Beards pubs were supplied exclusively with Harvey's range of beers, which were badged as their own.

We split up into smaller groups; the party I was in visited several good pubs that night; all of them belonging to Beards. The most memorable was the unspoilt Lewes Arms, where, the unusual game of Toad-in-the-Hole was played. The latter is a game originally peculiar to Sussex, but is one that has now spread into neighbouring Kent. It involves throwing metal discs at what can only be described as a box with a lid. The object of the game is to try and get the discs to fall through a small, round hole in the lid of the box. The lid has a covering of lead, so the noise made as the discs clunk against it can be imagined! At the end of each round, the discs are retrieved by opening a drawer in the base of the box.

The old Beards Brewery buildings - now used as craft-workshops

Two other pubs stick in my memory from that night; the first was the Black Horse at the top end of the town, which featured some black and white photos showing the old Beards Brewery in its heyday. The other was the Lamb, in Fisher Street, directly opposite the then empty Star Lane Brewery. Today, the attractive old brewery buildings have been converted into craft-workshops. We stopped off at the chip shop just before boarding the bus. The journey back seemed to take even longer, but it was a good night out nevertheless.

My third trip to Lewes was on a hot Saturday in June 1984, when Maidstone CAMRA branch had been invited to tour Harvey’s Brewery. Roland Graves was once again our driver, but this time our mode of transport was a vintage single decker bus, rather than a double decker one. Our guide for the brewery tour was none other than Miles Jenner, head brewer at Harvey’s, although at the time of our visit he was deputy brewer. This was the first of four brewery tours I have made at Harvey’s, and on each occasion I have listened spell-bound to Mile's graphic and fascinating description, not only of the brewing process, but also of the history of Harvey’s, and of brewing in Lewes.

A couple of years later, when I was secretary of the then Tonbridge and Tunbridge WellsBranch of CAMRA, I arranged a further trip to Harvey’s. This time the tour took place on a Friday evening, but myself, plus a couple of friends decided to make a full day of it. Travelling by train, we chose Brighton as our initial destination; our tickets giving us the option of travelling on to Lewes later in the day.

Entrance to Harvey's Brewery

Only one Brighton pub sticks in my memory from that day and that was the Basketmakers Arms, an unspoilt back street local belonging to the late lamented Hampshire independent brewers George Gale & Co Ltd. The Basketmakers served a good lunch, and also gave me the opportunity of trying Gales 5X Winter Ale for the first time.

Most of the other Brighton pubs we visited that day were unremarkable, but nevertheless by the time we arrived at Harvey’s we were slightly the worse for drink. We met up with the rest of our party, just prior to the tour. Miles Jenner was once again our guide, and by the time the talk and trip round the brewery was finished we were ready for some more beer. A generous session in the Harvey’s sampling cellar made up for some of the lacklustre beers we had tried in Brighton; the Harvey’s XXXX Old Ale being particularly welcome on that cold damp winter's evening. We departed in sufficient time to catch the train home to Tonbridge, after a most enjoyable day out.

To be continued....................

Lewes Remembers the 5th of November

I had every intention of posting this article earlier. Last weekend would have been particularly apt, seeing as the Lewes November 5th celebrations are the topic of this post, which is really a follow-on from the two-part article about Lewes, which I published back in January. The post kicks off with some background information regarding the origins of Bonfire in Lewes and explains some of the traditions surrounding it. The article then goes on to describe my own personal experience of November 5th in Lewes.

Lewes Bonfire or Bonfire, for short, describes a set of celebrations held in the town of Lewes, Sussex that constitute the United Kingdom's largest and most famous Bonfire Night festivities,  with Lewes being called the "bonfire capital of the world."

Lewes is home to the largest and most celebrated of the festivities in the Sussex bonfire tradition. There are seven societies putting on five separate parades and firework displays on the 5th, and this can mean 3,000 people taking part in the celebrations, and up to 80,000 spectators attending in the small market town which has a permanent population of just under 16,000 people.

The event is organised by the local bonfire societies, under the auspices of the Lewes Bonfire Council.  Six of  Lewes's seven Bonfire Societies hold their celebrations on the same night (5th November, or when the Fifth is on a Sunday, 4th November). The remaining society, Nevill Juvenile, holds its night on a Saturday a couple of weeks before the Fifth.

Each Society has something different to offer. Nevill Juvenile Bonfire Society, for instance, is specifically for children. South Street used to be a juvenile society too, but over the years has changed into an adult one. Waterloo, while an adult society, is perhaps more family-oriented than some others, while the Cliffe, Commercial Square and Lewes Borough societies cling proudly to their respective ancient traditions.

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On November 5th, a number of large effigies are drawn though the streets. Effigies of Guy Fawkes and Pope Paul V, who became head of the Roman Catholic Church in 1605, feature every year. In addition, each of the five main local societies creates a topical "tableau" (usually, but not always, representing a human figure or figures), and the Cliffe Society displays on pikes the heads (also in effigy) of its current "Enemies of Bonfire", who range from nationally reviled figures to local officials who have attempted to place restrictions on the event. Restrictions are generally ignored by the Societies.

As well as the effigies, 17 burning crosses are carried in procession, through the town in memory of 17 Protestant martyrs who were burnt at the stake in Lewes for their faith, during the reign of Queen Mary. The various Bonfire Societies congregate at the War Memorial in the centre of town, where a wreath-laying ceremony takes place as an act of Remembrance for the war dead of Lewes. Afterwards each society marches to its own fire site on the edge of the town, where there a large bonfire and firework display takes place and the various effigies are burned.

Whilst marching nearly all members carry torches, some ignite and drop bangers, locally known as "rookies", (short for rook scarers), and some carry the burning crosses, banners, musical instruments or burning letters spelling out the initials of the society. Many of the marchers wear "smuggler uniforms" (striped jumpers, white trousers, black boots and optional red hats), with each society having a different coloured jumper. Members have to make or buy their own costumes. Torch-making is a time-consuming process and begins in September, or even earlier, with many society members joining in.

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A flaming tar barrel is also thrown into the river Ouse; this is said to symbolise the throwing of the magistrates into the river after they read the Riot Act to the bonfire boys in 1847, but may also be an echo of ancient Samhain traditions. Up to 80,000 people have been known to attend this local spectacle, coming from all over the South and sometimes further afield.

Despite being just an hour’s drive away from Lewes, for a number of reasons I have only attended its famous November 5th celebrations on one occasion. That was back in 1987, when two companions and I caught the train to Lewes in order to experience the Sussex town’s bonfire activities for ourselves. Instead of the more usual route via Redhill, we decided to travel via St Leonards, as one of our number was boarding the train at Tunbridge Wells.

After changing trains at St Leonard’s, our journey took us into Eastbourne before heading west towards Lewes. The journey from Polegate onwards is quite spectacular, as the railway follows a natural gap in the South Downs. The downs form an impressive and slightly foreboding backdrop to the scenery, and as we journeyed on through such delightful stations as Berwick and Glynde the late autumn sunshine and a cloudless sky only added to the beauty of the surrounding countryside.

Arriving in Lewes just after midday, we made straight for the Royal Oak; then a stylishly decorated Beards pub, situated at the top of Station Street. From here we went on to the Brewers Arms, an imposing red-brick pub originally built for the former Croydon brewers Page & Overton, as the moulded brickwork plaques at the entrance still testify.

The next port of call was the Lewes Arms where we were surprised to witness a group dressed as cavaliers sitting drinking at the bar. They were from one of the local bonfire societies, and were the first of many such groups of people in fancy dress that we were to encounter that day.

Finally, we ended up in the Black Horse, where we encountered a substantial number of revellers dressed as vikings. The "Beards" ales in this particular pub were especially fine, and it was a shame when time was finally called. Nevertheless we departed with good grace and headed off back towards the centre of town in search of some more solid nourishment.

As I mentioned earlier, that particular November 5th was a fine late autumn day, without a cloud in the sky and not a breath of wind either. Such days however invariably lead to cold and frosty nights, and as we left the Black Horse the air had a distinct chill to it, giving one the feeling that it would not be long before temperatures started to drop very rapidly. As we approached the brow of the steep School Hill that leads down to the River Ouse, we were rewarded by the sight of Harvey’s Brewery set against the backdrop of the South Downs. Steam from the brewery was rising vertically into the still cold air, and as we descended the hill the sun was already starting to sink in the sky, before finally disappearing behind the hills away to our left. You could feel it getting colder and see the mist beginning to rise from the river as we approached the Cliffe area of Lewes, and we were all glad that we had come warmly dressed and well wrapped up against the cold.

We found a restaurant at the far end of Cliffe High Street, passing Harvey’s Brewery on our way down and noticing, with some amusement, the banner strung across the street proclaiming "No Popery Here!"

They take Bonfire night very seriously in this part of Lewes, and of the five Bonfire Societies Cliffe is probably the most anti-papal of them all. The reason for the anti-Catholic feeling pre-dates Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators by over a century. It arises from the time when, during the reign of Queen Mary, 17 Protestant martyrs were burnt at the stake in Lewes for their faith. This hatred for Rome and its church later found a new refuge following the discovery of the gunpowder plot, and numerous "Bonfire Societies" can now be found in Lewes, as well as many of the surrounding villages. The anti-papal theme is repeated in the "Bonfire Prayers" - the last verse of which reads:

"A penny loaf to feed old Pope,
A farthing o' cheese to choke him,
A pint of beer to rinse it down,
A faggot of sticks to burn him!
Burn him in a tub of tar,
Burn him like a blazing star,
Burn his body from his head,
Then we'll say old Pope is dead!
Hip, hip hoo-r-r-ray."

The bonfire societies meet throughout the year, holding various fund-raising activities to ensure both a spectacular display of fireworks on the night and also to provide money towards the costs of the elaborate costumes their members wear as part of the celebrations. Bonfire Night in Lewes itself is always celebrated on the 5th of November, except when the 5th occurs on a Sunday. When that happens, the festivities are held on the preceding Saturday instead. By tradition, Bonfire Night celebrations in the surrounding villages take place either side of November 5th, so as not to detract from the main event in Lewes, and also to allow members of other societies to visit, or take part in the town's celebrations. Bonfire night in the villages is usually celebrated on a Saturday, unless, of course it happens to fall on the 5th November.

I personally find it very re-assuring in these changing times that such time-honoured traditions not only still take place, but if anything are growing in their popularity and appeal. Long may this continue!

That particular November 5th, my companions and I finished our meal and then wandered back into town. We decided that by purchasing some fireworks we would be entering into the spirit of things, and consequently bought several boxes of bangers each, for later on. We had noticed that many shop windows had already been boarded up, and that workmen were busy attending to others. We later learnt that this was a public safety measure rather than a fear that rioting would break out. More to our dismay though was the discovery that most of the towns' pubs would either be shut, or “open to regulars only”.

The fear of public disorder goes back to the last century, when events often did get out of hand. Pitched battles were fought in the streets, on several occasions, between the police and some of the more high-spirited "bonfire boys". According to contemporary sources, "great rioting" occurred in 1838, whilst in 1847 "170 of the principal tradesmen and other respectable inhabitants" were summoned to be sworn in as special constables. On their way to a meeting on the night of November 4th they were attacked by Bonfire Boys in the High Street. The following night, the riot act was read by Lord Chichester from the steps of County Hall. In those days, bonfires were actually lit in the town’s streets, so one can imagine the chaos as well as the threat to life, limb and property in general. In these more "enlightened times" the bonfires and firework displays are properly organised, and take place in open fields away from the town centre.

To kill some time, we wandered down to the river and amused ourselves by letting off several of our bangers in a deserted car park. Unfortunately our activities attracted the attention of the local constabulary, and we were told by a couple of police officers, in no uncertain terms, that it was an offence to discharge fireworks in a public place. Furthermore, unless we wished to spend bonfire night in the cells, we were to refrain from further such activities!

Feeling suitably chastened, we adjourned to a nearby cafe, where over a warming and very welcome cup of coffee we waited for the festivities to begin. One tradition, that has survived to this day, is that of hurling a blazing tar barrel into the River Ouse. In former times, lighted tar barrels were rolled along the High Street and down School Hill, but this practice has now been outlawed by the authorities. Instead, the lighted barrels are now pulled along on sturdy metal carts.

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After witnessing the blazing tar barrel being quenched by the waters of the Ouse, we made our way up the hill to the War Memorial, with the aim of getting a good vantage point. It is to this point that processions from each of the town's Bonfire Societies congregate, before marching off to their own individual events. According to the 1992 programme for Cliffe Bonfire Society, the following activities were scheduled to take place that year:

"At the Fire the Archbishop of Cliffe will deliver his annual address, specially composed for the occasion, during which high-flying fireworks will soar above the heads of the clergy. At around half-past nine o'clock effigies of Guy Fawkes and Pope Paul V will be ceremoniously destroyed by means of fireworks. Also giant heads of personages deemed by the Society to be this year's "Enemies of Bonfire" will be similarly exploded by a Mammoth Aerial Firework Display, The famous Cliffe Bonfire Society tableau of mammoth proportions, built with an expertise mastered only by the firework experts of the Cliffe, will be detonated in an Extravagant Pyrotechnical Finale."

Exciting stuff! The programme also prints a warning to the authorities that "Bonfire is a force to be reckoned with", and that the societies will not tolerate attempts by the police and other authorities to "dilute the event into a tame carnival", this action coming under the guise of "public safety". It is hardly surprising then that past "Enemies of Bonfire" have included the Chief Constable of Sussex and prominent local politicians.

Prior to the start of the processions, we somehow found ourselves in the bar of the White Hart, an ancient old inn directly opposite the law courts. I remember convincing the barman that we were staying the night and thus qualified as “residents”, otherwise we would not have been served. It was a worthwhile deception though, as the Harvey’s Old was very welcoming on such a cold winter's night. Despite the good condition of the beer, we only stayed for the one as we did not want to miss the celebrations that would shortly be taking place outside.

Finding a suitable place to stand, opposite the war memorial and wrapped warmly against the cold, we watched procession after procession arriving to pay their respects to the town's war dead. The fact that November 5th is so close to Armistice Day means that the dead of two world wars are also commemorated, as well as the Protestant Martyrs of the 16th Century.

After the two minute silence and the Last Post, the various bonfire societies marched off to hold their own respective events. Watching them march off only served to remind us of how cold we were, so we nipped into the nearby County Hotel where the Gales HSB was very welcome indeed, as was the bar's central heating. We were however, advised against taking our drinks outside by a friendly member of the hotel staff. The police apparently take a dim view of people carrying beer glasses at the event, (full or otherwise), so given our previous brush with the law we decided to stay put and  enjoy the warmth of the hotel bar instead.

Shortly after it was time to leave. Rail journeys between Lewes and Tonbridge involve quite a roundabout route, following the truncation  of the direct line at Uckfield in 1969. This coupled with the closure in 1985 of the line between Tunbridge Wells and Eridge means that there is no longer a direct route between the two towns. The upshot of all this was that we had to catch the half eight train from Lewes in order to guarantee making our connection for Tonbridge at Redhill.

The station was absolutely heaving when we arrived; British Rail having lain on additional trains in order to cope with the night's huge influx of visitors. I don't remember much about the journey home, but I do remember having a king-sized hangover the next day.

This year (2016), there were no trains running into Lewes, due to the long running dispute between Train Operator, Southern and members of the RMT Union protesting over the changing role of guards on the train. This would undoubtedly have had an adverse effect on numbers attending the famous celebrations, but whether this was a good thing as far as the Bonfire Societies were concerned, remains to be seen.

If you do get the chance to attend next year’s Bonfire Celebrations, I can strongly recommend it. Assuming the rail dispute is settled, then travelling by train is by far and away the best option. If you do choose to drive, you will have to leave your car some distance away from the town centre, as the streets are closed to traffic. You will then have to walk into Lewes.

A better bet is to book a hotel or B&B room for the night. That way you can stay until the end, and also combine your stay with a look around this most attractive East Sussex town.

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Lewes - Part Two

Following on from my first article about Lewes, I continue the story about my connection with the town and how I ended up working there.

In 1988, the company I was working for was taken over by a larger concern that happened to have its main factory in Lewes. The intention had been to merge the operations of the two companies at the larger and better equipped Lewes site. Fortunately, a last minute change of heart by the new owners led to the shelving of this plan, and production and packaging continued much as before at the Nature's Best factory in Tunbridge Wells.

Harvey's Brewery  Shop

This did not stop close cooperation between the two sites, and in my role as Quality Assurance Controller for Tunbridge Wells, I became a frequent visitor to Lewes. I normally timed my visits to arrive first thing in the morning, so that business was generally concluded by lunchtime. This gave me the opportunity of enjoying a pint of Harvey’s, plus a bite to eat in one of the local pubs before heading back.

It was during one such visit that I first discovered the Harvey’s Brewery Shop. The shop is situated in Cliffe High Street, just in front of the brewery itself. As well as selling the full range of Harvey’s bottled beers, there were always several draught beers on sale for customers to take away in their own containers. In fact Harvey’s state that they will supply up to two gallons on demand (for quantities greater than this they require 24 hours notice).

This was not usually a problem, so far as I was concerned, as I found a four pint container to be sufficient and, providing it was kept in a cool place, the contents lasted over a two day period. For times when I was expecting friends, or over long weekends, such as Bank Holidays, a gallon container was the order of the day. Suitable containers were available from the shop; 50p for a four pints and £1.00 for a gallon one.

What I found especially good about the shop was the fact that the beer was sold at brewery prices. Back in March 1995, a four pint container of Best Bitter cost just £3.95, which worked out at slightly less than £1 a pint. Even cheaper was Harvey’s Knot of May Mild, a seasonal light mild. Four pints of this beer cost a mere £3.13! The excellent strong pale ale, Tom Paine, available only during the month of July, retailed for £4.47, equating to just £1.12 a pint.

The Harvey’s shop was to prove a life saver when, in 1992, my job was transferred to Lewes. This was following a further takeover when the whole group was bought by a Danish pharmaceutical company. The Danes did what the previous owners had shied away from - namely concentrating all operations on the Lewes site.

My former workplace - an old chalk quarry on the edge of Lewes

I didn't particularly enjoy my job there; nor did I enjoy the sixty mile round trip to work each day. The factory I was based at was situated on an industrial estate, occupying the site of a former cement works, on the edge of the town. It was a good, brisk walk of some twenty minutes or so, along the banks of the River Ouse before one reached the town, but it was worth it in order to escape from what could often be a highly charged and stressful workplace. 

On such occasions, I was invariably smitten with the old world charms of Lewes. Its ancient and historic buildings seemed a world away from the chaotic nature of the factory. I spent many a happy lunchtime browsing round its numerous antique shops or, when time permitted, some of the second hand bookshops sited at the top end of the town.

I was also a regular visitor to the Harvey’s Shop, where I was always addressed quite politely, and properly, as "Mr Bailey"! I even received preferential treatment. At times when the shop was closed for stocktaking, I was told to "pop round the back", where the staff would willingly replenish my container for me. I was also treated to sneak previews and tastings of new brews, or special commemorative ales. In short I was treated with that "old-fashioned" politeness and civility which is so sadly missing from much of the retail trade today.

I ended up spending nearly four years working in Lewes, and despite being short-listed for several jobs elsewhere, never quite managed to escape. Not until, that is, I was made redundant in November 1995. The saddest part of leaving was telling the staff in the Harvey’s Shop that they would be losing one of their regular customers. Apart from that, the redundancy turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it forced me to concentrate all my efforts on finding another job, and I was fortunate to find a reasonably paid managerial position in Tonbridge itself.

Since my redundancy I have been back to Lewes on several occasions. The first occasion was in 1996, when I called in to the Harvey’s Shop. At the time the shop was housed in temporary accommodation following the disastrous fire of February that year, which completely gutted both the shop premises and the brewery offices. Upon entering the shop I was greeted like a long lost son by the manager and his staff, and it was very much like meeting up with old friends again.

In the autumn of 2004 I attended a wine presentation and meal at the brewery. This was back in the day when my wife and I had our of-licence in Tonbridge. Seeing as we were selling cask beer to take-away by the pint, we obviously had an account with Harvey’s; in fact the brewery’s Sussex Best was our top-selling cask ale and occupying a semi-permanent position on the bar.

John Harvey Tavern

We also bought wines from Harvey’s; wines which were in the next price bracket up from the run of the mill, lower-priced Chardonnays, White Zinfandels and Cabernet Sauvignons which made up the bulk of our wine sales. Harvey’s were particularly supportive in of sourcing and helping us promote some reasonable wines and in respect we had the help of Andrew Harris, their Wine Manager.

I had first met Andrew when he was a helpful young lad, working in the Harvey’s Shop in Lewes; not realising at the time he was studying to complete various courses connected to the wine trade. It was therefore good to see him on those occasions when he visited the shop, accompanied by our normal sales rep, John.

It was through Andrew that I received an invitation to attend the aforementioned wine presentation. Harvey’s had invited their wine grower from the Rhône region of France over to give a talk about some of the wines his family produced, and in order to showcase them at their best, there was to be a five course meal to accompany the tastings.

I jumped at this opportunity’ particularly as time away from the off-licence was a rare treat, and for a night away; well, that was almost unheard of. I booked myself a room at the White Hart; the best known and most prestigious hotel in Lewes. Situated opposite the Law Courts, this historic old coaching inn has roots going back to the 16th Century. The White Hart was also the meeting place of the “Headstrong Club”, a group of radicals and revolutionaries, who included one Thomas Paine amongst their number. The latter’s writings inspired the American War of Independence and he went on to become one of the "Founding Fathers" of the United States. 

Unashamedly putting this trip down as a legitimate business expense, I drove down to Lewes on the afternoon of the appointed day, parked the car at the White Hart and checked in for the night. Shortly afterwards, I walked down the hill towards the River Ouse and Harvey’s Brewery. The dinner and presentation was being held at the John Harvey Tavern, opposite the brewery, and arriving there early meant I would be able to catch the first of the season’s Old Ale.

Plaque commemorating Thomas Paine

This I did, and found it so good that I just had to have another pint. On reflection this wasn’t the wisest of moves given that there was a whole evening’s wine sampling ahead, but hey-ho! The meal and the sampling took place in the upstairs function room, and were both very good. The French wine grower certainly knew his stuff and we tasted, and enjoyed, a variety of his wines ranging from an unusual White Rhône, through to a full-bodied Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

And there the evening might have sensibly ended were it not for the fact that the meal was followed by several glasses of vintage port. The port was 40 years old, in fact, and was “flood damaged” stock salvaged from the devastating flood of 2001 which completely swamped the brewery. Wine bottles, of course are hermetically sealed, not just with a cork, but with a foil seal. The contents therefore remained completely unaffected, and after the bottles had been washed and wiped down with disinfectant, they were perfectly OK to be drunk. Harvey’s were not allowed to sell the salvaged bottles though, as the insurers had already paid out on them, but there was nothing to stop the port from being served to non-fee paying guests, like us.

The smooth rich, mellow port slipped down a treat, and whilst the sensible thing would have been to have refused the several top-ups offered, I decided that the opportunity to enjoy such a rare and excellent drink were unlikely to come again. Consequently I had more port than was wise. I said goodbye to the other guests and thanked my generous hosts, before staggering back up the hill to the White Hart. I found my room and collapsed into bed. Somewhat surprisingly I didn’t feel too bad the following morning and ate my full English breakfast with considerable relish.

Three and a half years later I found myself spending another night in Lewes; but this time in far less salubrious surroundings. I was on the first stage of a walk along the South Downs Way, accompanied by a friend. This first section was designed to break ourselves in gradually and to get ourselves used to walking, what for us, were quite lengthy distances.

We had spent our first night at a B&B in the lovely old downland village of Alfriston, and were heading towards our second overnight stop. The village of Kingston had been our preferred choice, as it was on the trail and we knew there was a good pub there in the form of the Juggs Inn.  Unfortunately all the B&B accommodation in Kingston was booked up, due to a series of performances taking place at nearby Glyndebourne.  Lewes is slightly off the South Downs Way, but we weren’t too concerned.  With many attractions to tempt us, not least of which were the Harvey’s beers brewed there, Lewes would be a good alternative.

A good place for drying socks

After being caught in torrential rain as we descended from Firle Beacon, we had stopped to dry off at the Abergavenny Arms in Rodmell.. Although it was the last week in May there was still a welcoming log fire burning in the grate! We took advantage of this feature to dry off our socks and our boots, whilst enjoying a couple of pints of Harvey’s. Looking at the map, there was still a fair way to go before we reached Lewes, and the shortest route, and one which avoided the roads, was along the banks of the River Ouse. Whilst this seemed a good idea on paper, in practice it was not so clever.

Although the rain had eased off the long grass was still soaking wet. Pretty soon it had soaked through our boots and our feet were as wet as ever. What was worse, the course of the river twisted and turned and although we could see Lewes and its imposing Norman castle through the mist, it seemed to be getting further and further away, rather than nearer. Eventually, soaking wet, footsore and weary, we reached Lewes. The pub we were staying in was right at the top end of the town, which meant a long trudge up through the rain soaked streets.

Unfortunately we had drawn a bit of a bummer with our choice of accommodation, certainly after the bright and airy B&B in Alfriston our second nights billet left a lot to be desired. Still, in the state we were in, an old barn would have sufficed, and after a couple of warming cognacs in the bar, and a change of clothing, we set off to explore the town and find ourselves something to eat.

King's Head, Southover, Lewes

For a town of its size, Lewes had precious little in the way of pubs serving food on a cool late May evening, but we were directed to the Kings Head;  an excellent street corner local in the Southover district of town. As well as furnishing two hungry and weary travellers with an excellent steak meal, the young, attractive barmaid provided us with some interesting conversation. For a start, she was really in to sixties rock music, which was our era. We spent a most enjoyable couple of hours talking about music and bands us two oldies had seen and bands that she would have liked to have seen, before returning to our somewhat austere and rather basic accommodation for the night.

I won’t name and shame the pub we stayed in, as looking at its website it seems to have been altered and improved out of all recognition. So much so that I am tempted to call in the next time I am in Lewes. This of course, just goes to prove that nothing stays the same in the world of pubs.

I returned to Lewes in June 2012, in the company of four friends.  We had travelled down by bus, from Tunbridge Wells,  and spent a most enjoyable day in the town walking around and visiting a few pubs. To save myself having to repeat them all, you can read about the trip here if you so desire.

Lewes and back, by bus

It's always a good idea to have a reason for heading off on a bus trip, or a day out by rail somewhere, even if that reason is really rather tentative. My reason for taking the bus down to Lewes last Friday, was to return the pile of empty Harvey’s beer bottles I’d accumulated since our last visit to the Sussex County town. I came across the bottles whilst tidying up our summer house, a couple of months ago, and whilst I could quite easily have driven to Lewes, in order to return them, as Mrs PBT’s and I had done prior to Christmas, making use of my bus pass meant that apart from a few hours of my time, the return trip from Tonbridge would cost me nothing. Also, by not taking the car, I could visit a couple of Lewes pubs and enjoy a few beers, without being a hazard on the road, or indeed putting my driving licence at risk.

But why did I want to return these empty bottles in the first place? The answer is Harvey’s, quite commendably, are one of the very few UK brewers in the country who operate a bottle return scheme, which operates by charging a refundable, 10p deposit on each bottle supplied. So, by returning these bottles and using public transport, I was doing my bit for the environment in two ways. I’d accumulated just under two dozen empty and washed beer bottles, but how to transport them without making too much of a racket, and without straining my back and shoulders into the bargain? Simples really, I placed half the bottles in my rucksack, and then shoved the remainder into a stout shopping bag.

“You want to watch out as they might not let you on the bus,” said Mrs PBT's as I set off to the bus stop. My initial destination was Tunbridge Wells, where I could pick up the No. 29 Brighton and Hove service, which runs half - hourly between the Wells and Brighton. It took me two buses to reach Tunbridge Wells, but this meant I missed the 20-minute walk down from Bailey Towers to the bus stop opposite Tonbridge station.

I arrived in Tunbridge Wells in sufficient time for a precautionary pee stop, although there was not enough time to grab the coffee I was craving. Bus drivers understandably, are not keen for food and drink to be consumed on their buses, and given the empty bottles I was carrying, a cup of coffee would not have been a good idea. Mind you, I was gagging for a caffeine fix by the time we reached Lewes. Given the load I was carrying, I thought it wise to sit on the lower deck of the bus, even though the upper one would always be my first choice. This was more to do with exiting the bus, given the steep stairs down from the upper deck, and the way that buses tend to lurch around when stopping (and accelerating).

The journey to Lewes took 20 minutes longer than it should have done, largely due to road works – that current scourge of any journey involving motor transport, so I heaved a sigh of relief when we finally reached our destination. The bus deposited us at the bottom of the town, and at the foot of the famously steep School Hill. I crossed the road and headed towards Cliff High Street, traversing the River Ouse by the bridge next to Harvey's magnificently brewery, with its adjacent and well-stocked shop.

I returned my bottles which were gratefully received by the staff at the shop, in exchange for the principal sum of £2.20, which went towards three new bottles of Harvey’s beer. The first one was an old favourite Prince of Denmark, a strong and complex dark ale, with an abv of 7.5%, whilst the other two were Southdown Harvest plus Georgian Dragon, a ruby ale named after the mythical beast slain by England’s patron saint.

Afterwards it was time to grab that much needed coffee, something I wanted more than beer, at that moment in time. I wanted to avoid the usual Starbucks and Costa outlets, as I like to support independent retailers wherever possible. I was also feeling rather peckish, but salvation came in the form off a local bakery called Bake Out, situated next to the River Ouse. Whilst queuing up for a flat white, I saw a freshly baked pasty beckoning to me, from a tray at the front of the glass countertop. It proved far too tempting, so after purchasing one of these appealing hot pasties, plus a coffee, I found a convenient bench, on the other side of the road, where I could sit down and enjoy this impromptu lunch.

Something to eat prior to starting on the beer, was definitely a good idea and it seemed like I wasn’t the only person stuffing their face. The pasty I bought was filling and wholesome, and many others had the same idea, as places like Bake Out and other similar outlets, were doing a roaring trade. The bench I was sat on, proved a good spot for watching the world go by, and it was nice just sitting there watching the world go by. Lewes has always had an alternative, and slightly offbeat feel to it, and it seems to attract like-minded people. I have always had a soft spot for the town, and the fact that it's the home to one of the country’s best traditional brewing companies, is one more factor that makes it a “must visit” destination, as far as I'm concerned.

It was now most definitely time for a beer. I had a couple of pubs in mind, the first one of which was an old favourite from the time that I worked in Lewes. The Gardener’s Arms is a slightly quirky offbeat pub of the type I hinted about earlier. It's situated in Cliff High Street just a stone’s throw from Harvey’s Brewery Shop. It’s also genuine free house, offering five constantly changing guest ales, usually sourced from small breweries, from all over the country. Harvey’s seasonal ales and one-off brews often feature, as well.

It must be a decade or so since I last visited, so I made a beeline to the pub, keen to see what beers were on sale. I walked in past the small crowd sat at a table in front of the window, having decided upon the Three Acre Ruby Porter, advertised on the “A” board in front of the pub. Unfortunately, the beer had just sold out, but the helpful girl behind the bar recommended the Rother Valley Blue, instead. It's a porter she told me, and she was right of course, but somehow over the years I've always regarded this pleasant Rother Valley dark beer as something different, although I'm not sure which. I sat at the bar, enjoying the beer, which was dark, full bodied and delicious, whilst soaking up the atmosphere of this classic Lewes pub.

It was time to move on, so I made my way back cross the River Ouse, stopping to take the obligatory photo or two of Harvey’s Brewery. Before heading up the hill, I wanted to check the location of the bus stop for my return journey, as well as the times of the buses. This information is readily available  on the Brighton & South Downs website, but just to make sure, it was the stop outside Waitrose. The pub I had in mind was the classic, Lewes Arms, situated at the top of the town, in the shadow of Lewes castle, but instead of making the steep School Hill, I followed one of the side roads, stopping to take some photos of the interesting buildings I passed on the way.

One particular building that really sparked my interest was the complex that was once home to the Star Lane Brewery of Beard and Co. The company ceased brewing in 1958, after reaching an agreement with their Lewes neighbours, Harvey’s that the latter would brew for them, but they would sell the beers under their own name. Forty years later, in 1998, Beard’s sold their 43 pubs to Greene King. Today the Star Brewery is home to a series of art galleries, and as the door was open, I managed to sneak a quick peep inside, to see if there was anything remaining from its days as a brewery. The plant had obviously been stripped out decades earlier, but an old staircase leading to both the upper and lower levels of the building, gave a clue and also a feel of the days when Beard & Co were producing their beers there. Behind the former brewery complex lies the Lewes Arms, a former Beard’s pub of course, and a real classic in so many ways.

Before venturing inside for a drink, I walked up the steep lane at the side of the pub, towards the castle, which I could see, towering over the town, as I looked out across the pitch of the local bowls club. I paused too, in order to look at the plaque commemorating the Battle of Lewes, which took place in May 1264. The skirmish saw an army of barons, led by Simon De Montfort, defeat a royalist force twice their size under King Henry III on the downs, to the northwest of Lewes. It is claimed that De Montfort’s victory led to the establishment of the first English parliament, which met at Westminster, in January of the following year.

I retraced my footsteps, down to the Lewes Arms, a pub that is as traditional as anyone could wish for, and popular with visitors and locals alike. Fuller's beers are served, alongside Harvey's Best, plus a guest. These are dispensed from a bank of hand-pumps, located in the atmospheric front bar, which has its own door off the corridor. Last Friday, as well as the Harvey’s, there were two Gale's beers on sale, Seafarers and HSB. on sale, I naturally went for the latter, having enjoyed a glass of the same beer, the previous day at the Nelson Arms in Tonbridge.

As with the Gardener’s, the Lewes Arms is another quirky pub that embodies everything I like about  East Sussex's county town. The lively, but well-behaved crowd in the front bar, were probably of a similar age to myself, but the young girl behind the bar kept them in order and had everything under control. She also served me up a first-class pint of HSB. I ended up sitting in the room behind the bar, which is one of three rooms in the pub, which was occupied by a family group and their dog.

I can highly recommend the Lewes Arms to visitors to the town, but two pints was sufficient, bearing in mind the bus journey home. I returned my glass to the bar and made my way back down School Hill to the main road at the bottom. I had about 15 minutes to wait before the bus arrived, and this time I climbed the stairs to the top deck.  This made the return journey far more pleasant, as I’d felt rather hemmed in during the outward journey, and the views across the Sussex countryside were a joy to behold.

Our first stop was the town of Uckfield, after which the road skirts the edge of Ashdown Forest as it makes its way towards Crowborough. We arrived back in Tunbridge Wells sometime around half four, by which time my bladder was rather full. A quick dash to the public toilets in the Royal Victoria Place shopping centre, followed by the bus back to Tonbridge, saw me home in plenty of time for tea. It was a long journey, just to return a couple of bags of empties, but it was good to renew my acquaintance with Lewes, and a couple of its pubs. I shall probably choose somewhere nearer, for my next bus trip, though.

 

 

 

 

A Bus Trip to Lewes

It's Friday and the first day of my holiday, so what better way to spend it than in the company of friends visiting an historic town and taking in some unspoilt pubs? We were supposed to be attending the South Downs Festival in Lewes; in fact one of our party had been down to the county town a couple of weeks previously specifically to buy tickets for this "ticket only"event. Unfortunately he was unsuccessful in his quest, as all outlets had sold out. He even tried to purchase some in nearby Brighton. Undaunted we decided to travel down to Lewes anyway, but instead of visiting the beer festival we decided to have a tour around some of the town's pubs.

We stuck to our original plan which was to travel down to Lewes by bus. Brighton & Hove Buses operate an hourly service from Tunbridge Wells to Brighton, calling of course at Lewes en route. What's more the return fare is an unbeatable £3.70. Most of our group though, including myself, were starting from Tonbridge, so we had to buy an Explorer Day Ticket allowing us to use both the local Arriva services as well as those of the aforementioned Brighton & Hove Buses. This cost £6.80; still very reasonable given the distance involved.

Three of us set off from Tonbridge, alighting outside the BBC building in Tunbridge Wells where we were joined by Clive, the fourth member of our party, and the volunteer who had earlier attempted to obtain our tickets for the beer festival. The weather was chilly for the time of year, but dry, and after crossing the border into foreign parts (Sussex) we enjoyed a pleasant journey through the rolling wealden countryside. A little over an hour later we had arrived in the county town of East Sussex.

Our first port of call was the Harveys Brewery Shop, primarily to browse what was on offer in this well-stocked emporium, so that we could pick up heavy purchases, such as bottles of beer, glassware etc, later. Then, after Clive has led us to an independent record shop in the backstreets near the station, we climbed up to what is effectively the town centre, close to the law courts and the town's imposing castle.

A bit more browsing and it was time for our first pub and first pint of the day. Passing the long-closed Star Brewery (now converted into various craft workshops), that formerly belonged to Beard & Co, we made our way to one of the latter's former pubs, the unspoilt Lewes Arms. This solidly traditional back street local made national headlines a few years ago when it took on the might of Greene King. The Suffolk company had begun removing Harveys Best from all the former Beards pubs it acquired following the takeover of the company in 1998. However, regulars at the Lewes Arms were not prepared to give up their favourite tipple without a fight, and begun a boycott of Greene King products, and the pub itself. After adverse publicity, first in the local press, but then later nationally, Greene King relented and Harveys was restored to the Lewes Arms. A few years ago the pub had yet another new owner; this time Fullers. The Chiswick brewers though knew better than to try and remove the locals' favourite beer and today Harveys Best is on sale alongside a range of  Fullers and Gales beers.

Being the first pint of the day, two of us opted for the 3.9% Summer Ale; but Kevin couldn't resist the temptation of his favourite tipple and went straight in on the HSB! What is nice about the Lewes Arms is that it is a real community pub. It has three separate rooms, which are used by a variety of customers who comprise both local as well as visitors like ourselves. There is also a collection of traditional pub games, including the rare Sussex game of Toad in the Hole. 

We had a long day ahead so just had the one there, before departing for a further look around. The pub is built beneath the castle ramparts so we climbed up towards the summit on which stands the castle itself. From here we had an uninterrupted view north, across the town, towards the downs, and from the viewing platform could see the site of the Battle of Lewes which took place in 1264, and which saw the defeat of King Henry III and his army by forces led by Simon de Monfort, Earl of Leicester.

We were getting peckish by now, so making our way past the base of the impressive and commanding castle keep,  found our way to the second pub on our itinerary, the Brewers Arms. This family run free-house  occupies an attractive brick and part half-timbered building in the High Street and, as a terracotta plaque on the wall indicates, was once owned by Page & Overton, who brewed at Shirley, near Croydon. The Brewers is another pub with more than one bar; the front one, which is the more comfortable of the two, is for eating as well as drinking, whilst the larger bar at the rear, is more for pub games and stand-up drinking.

There was a good selection of beers available, but most of us opted for Hop Twister from Salopian Brewery, a pale, intensely-hopped 4.5% abv beer, that was both thirst quenching and satisfying. I also enjoyed an excellent steak and kidney pie, complete with new potatoes and a selection of vegetables, all for the princely sum of £7.00; real value indeed! Afterwards I risked a half of Dark Star Victorian Ruby Mild; a fine beer, but brewed to a typical Victorian strength of 6.0% abv! As well as the aforementioned beers, the Brewers Arms had a cask ale from Cotswold Brewery on sale, alongside the ubiquitous, and almost compulsory for Lewes, Harveys Best. I didn't take a lot of notice as to what the beer was called, but looking at Cotswold's website they seem to concentrate solely on lagers and wheat beers, rather than  English-style ales. All in all I was very impressed with the Brewers Arms, as I had been some four years previously on a similarly cold June day, when my friend Eric and I walked the South Downs Way.

It was a bit of a hike to the third pub on our itinerary, but the first part at least was all downhill. We called in at another record shop en route, but Clive was still unable to procure the obscure bluegrass cd he was looking for, and then continued down towards the Cliffe area of the town. Crossing the River Ouse by Harneys Brewery, we also passed the legendary Gardener's Arms, which we would be visiting later. We continued to the end of Cliffe High Street and turned left into South Street. At the far end we eventually reached our destination, the quirky Snowdrop Inn.  Rather than being named after winter flower the Snowdrop commemorates the Lewes Avalanche, which occurred on 27 December 1836, when a huge build-up of snow on a chalk cliff overlooking the town collapsed into the settlement 100 metres below, destroying a row of cottages and killing eight people. It remains the deadliest avalanche on record in the United Kingdom. The present pub was built on the site of the destroyed cottages, and named the Snowdrop in memory of this tragic event.

This was my first visit to the pub in nearly 20 years. When I worked in the town it was the nearest pub to the factory where I was employed, and was therefore a natural choice for a lunchtime drink Even back then it was a quirky sort of place, but I gather it had become rather run-down during the years in between before it was rescued by its current owners, in 2009. To me though, not a lot appeared to have changed, although the attractive, narrow-boat style paintings and decorations on the walls are a new and welcome addition.

The pub was pleasantly empty when we arrived, although that was soon to change when the beer festival closed  for the afternoon break. I noticed the pub had Budvar Light and Dark on tap, alongside Brooklyn Lager, but tempted though I was by the last two named beers, decided to stick to the more traditional offerings the pub had on sale, and was drawn to the two beers from Dark Star: American Pale Ale and Saison. The first beer was excellent, the second not so good, but still drinkable. It reminded me of a wheat beer; a style I have never been particularly keen on.

Time was moving on, and as a couple of our party were keen to get back in time for the England v. Sweden game, we had made a provisional decision to travel back by the 17.45 service. We re-traced our foot steps and made our way to the aforementioned Gardener's Arms. As expected, it was heaving and, regrettably, the Kissing Gate Smelter's Stout that I'd noticed on sale when we'd walked past earlier,  had all gone, (no doubt the refugees from the Beer Festival were partly to blame!). We still managed to find some space in the room at the rear, and I grabbed a couple of halves of Pot Belly Ambrosia Mild (pleasant, but nothing special) and Green Jack Mahseer IPA, (excellent).

I have known the Gardener's on and off over many years; it is a narrow pub with rooms to the front and rear of the central servery. Basic, probably sums it up, but it has always majored on serving an eclectic selection of beers, from some of the lesser known micro-breweries, although it has also in the past stocked "badged beers" from the likes of Archers and Cottage. The Archers connection is perhaps understandable, as I gather the guvnor is a Swindon Town FC fan; why else would there be a  photo of the team in the gents? Having said that it's a cracking pub, with an interesting mix of both regulars and visitors alike.

There was time for just one more pint before  catching the bus home. Just round the corner of the next block lies the John Harvey Tavern; the closest pub to Harvey's Brewery, and one that stocks a wide range of the company's beers. So far as I remember, the John Harvey has only been a pub for around 15 years, but the building itself is much older, and is constructed from local flints. .As mentioned earlier, the pub stocks a good selection of Harvey's beers, some of which are dispensed by gravity from casks kept behind the bar. My pint of  Armada was certainly in tip-top condition.

We stood outside, enjoying the sunshine, but all too soon it was time to go. The bus we had selected was the express service with  fewer stops and hence a much faster journey time home. It had been an excellent day out; much better than being stuck inside a beer festival. The visit  reminded me just what a charming town Lewes is; charming yet at the same time slightly Bohemian in character and possessed by an independent spirit coupled with a strong sense of local pride. It's a town I will keep going back to, as it has the right mixture of drive, quirkiness and sense of its own past to want to draw people back. Also there are several more interesting pubs just waiting to be explored!
 

As you may have gathered, I have something of a soft spot for Lewes. This historic old town nestles in a fold in the South Downs, and with its narrow twisting streets, and  attractive ancient buildings, occupies a fitting role as the county town of East Sussex. Lewes has some deep-rooted traditions, the best known of which are the famous bonfire-night celebrations that take place every year  on November 5th. Then the whole town comes to a standstill, as various local bonfire-societies parade through the town in a  variety of colourful costumes.

Probably the main reason though why Lewes rate so highly in my affections, is that it is home to my favourite brewery - Harvey & Son Ltd. In addition, but of secondary importance, is the fact that I spent  three and a half years working just outside the town. Although I disliked the job I was doing (as well as the long journey each way), I did leave a number of good friends there when I left.

You can see Lewes lying like a box of toys under a great amphitheatre of chalk hills ... on the whole it is set down better than any town I have seen in England.

— William Morris (1834-1896)