Lewes for Book Lovers: A Charming London Day Trip by Train
If you’re visiting London and want to get away from the city for a bit, to go thrifting, explore some cute indie bookstores, eat at a delicious local bakery, and walk in the path of some of England’s most influential writers, a day trip in Lewes, UK is just what you need.
I recently escaped the bustle of London for a day trip to Lewes, and while I had high expectations of the small East Sussex town, my expectations were exceeded.
Virginia Woolf, who lived there for many years, wrote in her diary that Lewes is “the most beautiful town in the world” and that she loved to wander through its many “back streets full of most improper little shops, and past the great bow windows, where the old ladies and their pets were sunning themselves.”
It’s a charming, quaint village with a thriving High Street where you’ll find find amazing local shops and delicious food.
Plus, you can visit some pretty significant sights in English literary history, a medieval castle, and a home of one of Henry VIII’s wives. Let’s dive in to discuss what to do in Lewes, for book lovers and those with more general interests as well.
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Whenever possible, I recommend buying books at local bookshops or through Bookshop.org, because shopping there puts the profits right into the hands of indie bookstores all over the country.
Literary Lewes
For the literary-minded (welcome, you have found a place of friends here), there is enough to fill an entire day in Lewes. Here are some highlights you should be sure not to miss.
Book shopping
Lewes, UK is home to some delightful independent bookshops you won’t want to miss out on. These include a bookshop housed in a fifteenth-century, half-timbered building, a cute specialty children’s bookshop, and a discount bookstore that blew me away with their prices.
To get the full breakdown on Lewes bookshops, check out my complete guide, including some places to buy books in Lewes that might not be as obvious a place to look. You can easily spend several hours on the bookstores alone.
Virginia Woolf’s Round House
Lewes is known as one of Virginia and Leonard Woolf’s places of residence — their country escape from the business of London. Right in the heart of Lewes, you can check out Round House, a residence originally built as a windmill in 1802 and which the Woolfs purchased for £300 in 1919.
The Woolfs didn’t keep the property long, however, as they found nearby Monk’s House and purchased it just a month later. That house became their primary country residence, and they sold Round House. However, it’s said to still look much as it did in 1919 when the Woolfs briefly owned it.
The Round House is a privately owned residence, so if you come to visit for literary purposes, please be mindful and courteous during your visit (I’ve read about some people getting told off for being too obnoxious in their photo-taking).
Look for the round plaque on the exterior of the building. It contains a quote from Virginia about their purchase of the place:
“We’ve bought a house in Lewes, on the spur of the moment. It’s the butt end of an old windmill, so that all the rooms are either completely round or semi circular”
The walk to the Round House is gorgeous, through a narrow alleyway overgrowing with flowers and vines. It’s easy to see why the Woolfs were charmed by the property, but also clear why they would’ve preferred the larger property and gardens at Monk’s House.
Location: Pipe Passage, Lewes, UK
Bull House: Thomas Paine’s former residence
You can also visit two locations in Lewes associated with political writer Thomas Paine. Americans in particular will recognize the name as one of the Founding Fathers and the author of Common Sense. His writings were highly influential in the American Revolutionary War as well as in British and French politics.
From 1768-1774, Paine lived in Lewes in Bull House, at the western end of the High Street. It was already an old house by the time he moved in, as it dates from the 15th century. During his years here, he worked as a shopkeeper and exciseman and married Elizabeth Olive. He also became highly involved in Lewes politics and wrote his first political pamphlet while living here.
Today, the building is serving as the head office of the Sussex Archaeological Association. You can easily view the exterior of the building on a stroll down Lewes High Street.
Location: 92 High St, Lewes UK
Thomas Paine Blue Plaque
The other Thomas Paine-related sight you can visit in Lewes is a blue plaque outside the White Hart Hotel. It claims to be the place in which Paine began developing his political beliefs and declares itself therefore to be “a cradle of American independence which he helped to found with pen and sword.”
At the time of my visit in summer 2024, the building and the plaque were entirely hidden behind extensive scaffolding. It’s not worth going out of your way for, but rather something to make note of as you explore Lewes.
Location: 52 High St, Lewes, UK
Monk’s House, Virginia Woolf’s Home
It belonged to the Woolfs from 1919 until 1969, when ownership passed to the National Trust. That makes this one of the most remarkable authors’ home museums you can visit today — it still contains all the original furniture and decorations, laid out exactly was it was when Virginia lived and wrote there.
Though I’ve been to England many times over the years visiting literary destinations (like the Sherlock Holmes Museum and the Charles Dickens House in London), Monk’s House took me a while to get to, mostly because it’s only open seasonally.
You can stroll through Leonard’s beautiful gardens and peer inside Virginia’s writing hut, where she penned some of the most influential novels and literary criticism of the 20th century.
This literary destination isn’t located right in downtown Lewes, however. You’ll have to drive or catch a bus to Mill Lane then walk a few minutes to get there. But it is easily done and well worth the trip.
Location: Rodmell, Lewes BN7 3HF UK
Walk the River Ouse
Virginia Woolf was an ardent walker, and one of the greatest appeals to her in buying Monk’s House was the extensive property and the views of the valley and the South Downs.
“I am extremely happy walking on the downs […] I like to have space to spread my mind out in.”
Virginia Woolf in her diary, September 5 1926
Virginia often walked to think through her current writing project. Her preferred walking routes frequently took her along the River Ouse and along the South Downs, which she described in her journal as “too much for one pair of eyes, enough to float a whole population in happiness.” Sadly, this is the same river in which she drowned herself in 1941.
Many visitors satisfy themselves with a visit to Monk’s House, but why not extend your stay a bit longer and walk along the River Ouse as Virginia did so many times? It’s also a reverant way to pay homage to her at the place of her death.
There are many routes you can take, but when I visited, I thoroughly enjoyed this 1.5-mile circular walk that took me along the river.
Fitzroy House
Fitzroy House is located right in the heart of the commercial pedestrian area of Lewes. The building is Victorian and was once the Fitzroy Memorial Library. It served as a public library from the late 1800s until 1956.
While Virginia and Leonard Woolf lived (at least part-time) in Lewes, Woolf and other members of the Bloomsbury Group frequented the library. Woolf notes visiting it while researching and writing Orlando, The Waves, and Mrs. Dalloway.
The building has changed hands and purposes many times since the 1950s, even operating as a private residence. Most likely, you won’t be able to go inside, but it doesn’t hurt to check before visiting. In recent years, it has sometimes been open for special concerts and events.
Location: 10 High St, Lewes UK
Charleston House
Charleston House is another destination with literary connections in Lewes. It was owned and lived in by Virginia Woolf’s sister, Vanessa Bell, an artist. She lived there with her lover Duncan Grant, also an artist. The house allowed them great freedom in their art — they didn’t just paint on canvases here but directly on the walls, bookcases, and furniture.
Like Monk’s House, Charleston House became another place frequented by members of the Bloombsury Group.
Today, Charleston House is a unique museum to visit and will certainly be enjoyed by those interested in art and literature. You can wander on your own or take a themed, guided tour of the home-turned-museum. Make sure you leave yourself time to wander the beautiful house gardens, as well.
Tip: To fit in this along with Monk’s House, it will be a very busy day. If you’re hoping to get to everything on this list of what to do in Lewes, you might need to spread it over two days. Also, it’s recommended to pre-book your tickets online.
Location: Charleston in Lewes, Southover Road, Lewes, BN7 1FB
Lewes Literary Society Events
The Lewes Literary Society has been around in some form since 1948 (though under different names). Leonard Woolf himself was the president of the club from 1954-1969. These days, they host regular book talks on Tuesdays in Lewes, though not every Tuesday.
Still, it’s worth checking to see if there’s an event happening during your visit to Lewes!
Lewes Book Fair
Each year, the Lewes Town Hall hosts the Lewis Book Fair. Around 40 book dealers set up in the Town Hall to sell all sorts of books and related items. If you happen to be visiting in May, August, or October, you’ll definitely want to check it out.
For the most up-to-date information on the Lewes Book Fairs, check out their Facebook page.
What Else to do in Lewes
If you’re a bibliophile in Lewes, the literary to-do list I’ve already given you is enough to fill a day or even an entire weekend! But there’s certainly even more to do in Lewes that doesn’t revolve around books. (Balance, after all).
Here are some more ideas of what to do in Lewes to round out your itinerary:
Shopping
Lewes is a great place for a shopping break — the High Street and surrounding area is full of antique shops, thrift stores (charity shops), and clothing boutiques. Take your time wandering the historic downtown and popping into any shop that catches your eye.
Eating
Lewes, UK has much to attract foodies. There’s a number of delicious bakeries, to start. I had lunch at the Flint Owl Bakery, and I can’t recommend them enough. There’s also Patisserie Lewes, Bake Out, GAIL’s Bakery, and the Cornish Bakery you can check out.
It’s also a great place to find some traditional English pub fare. The Swan Inn, the Pelham Arms, and Rights of Man (cleverly named after a pamphlet by Thomas Paine) are all local favorites and good choices.
Visit the Anne of Cleves House
If your English history is polished, you’ll recognize the name Anne of Cleves as one of the many wives of King Henry VIII. The King gifted Anne of Cleves this 15th century home in Lewes when he dissolved their short marriage in 1541.
Anne never actually lived in the house, but the house today is an interesting museum in which you can learn a lot about Tudor life. Even the garden is still maintained in the traditional Tudor layout. Admission is cheap, and the visit doesn’t take too long.
Location: 52 Southover High St, Lewes UK
Explore the Lewes Castle
The Lewes Castle is a Norman building built after the Battle of Hastings. After purchasing an admission ticket, you can visit the nearly 1000-year-old castle and the adjoining Museum of Sussex Archaeology.
You’ll also get some great views over the Sussex countryside.
Tip: If you want to visit both the castle and the Anne of Cleves house, you can buy a combo ticket.
Location: 169 High St, Lewes, UK
How to get to Lewes from London by Train
Lewes makes a fantastic London day trip by train, because it only takes an hour to get there. Plus, trains run frequently between the two, so you have a lot of options that can fit into your schedule.
To get to Lewes, just take a 1 – 1.5 hour train out of London Victoria Station to Lewes Station. You shouldn’t need to make any transfers, and tickets run from about £10-50 (if you can, try to book in advance so you can find the cheaper tickets).
I recommend checking the routes and timetables on Omio, which in my experience is a quick, convenient, and reliable way to find trains.
Once in Lewes, you can easily walk everywhere you want to go in town, and in the case of Virginia Woolf’s house, there’s a frequent bus that can get you there for just a couple of pounds.
Finding Accommodations
Lewes makes a perfect day trip from London. It’s easily accessible by train, and you can take a train down in the morning and a night train back in the evening. However, you might decide that you want to spend more time in Lewes, to perhaps use it as a home base to explore more of Sussex.
If so, you’ll likely find hotel prices significantly cheaper here than in nearby London.
As you look for somewhere to stay, I recommend checking for lodging on Hotels.com. I almost always book my accommodations through Hotels.com, because you can earn rewards for every night you stay without having to choose only one hotel chain to be loyal to. You can even book locally owned apart hotels and bed and breakfasts.
If you’re looking for privately owned vacation rentals, I recommend checking VRBO. I’ve personally had much better experiences with their owners and rentals than I have with their primary competitor.
You now have all you need to plan your perfect day or weekend getaway to Lewes in Sussex, England. Check some literary destinations off your bucket list, take in the beautiful countryside, gorge on great food, and indulge in some fun shopping.
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