Beyond Brighton
Christmas in Lewes
Christmas
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Arild Vågen · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Christmas in Lewes
Lewes, the county town under the Downs, celebrates Christmas in its own independent way: an evening of late-night shopping with the High Street closed to traffic, Christmas markets in the castle grounds and the Town Hall, and a Norman castle to climb when the presents are unwrapped. Dates for 2026 are published by the town’s organisers in November.
Lewes is a town of steep streets, flint walls and independent shops, about 15 minutes from Brighton by train. Its bonfire night is famous; its Christmas is quieter, but no less a community affair.
Late-night shopping
Each December Lewes holds an evening of late-night shopping, when the High Street closes to traffic, the shops stay open and the town fills with stalls, music and Father Christmas. In recent years the castle has joined in with a Christmas market in its grounds. Check Visit Lewes for this year’s date.
Check opening times and trains on the official sites before you travel.
Christmas markets
Local makers, food and drink producers and the town’s bonfire societies hold Christmas markets through December, including markets at Lewes Castle and in the Town Hall on the High Street. Visit Lewes and Lewes Town Council list them as they are confirmed.
Between Christmas and New Year
Lewes Castle, run by Sussex Past, opens on selected days between Christmas and New Year (it is closed on 24, 25 and 26 December): climb to the top of the keep for views over the town, the South Downs and the sea, and if it rains, explore the Museum of Sussex Archaeology next door. Harvey’s Brewery, by the river in Cliffe, has a shop for gifts to take home.
Our advice: walk up Mount Caburn above the town on a clear winter morning, then come down for lunch in a High Street pub.
Why it's on our list
- Late-night shopping
- Christmas markets
- Between Christmas and New Year
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Christmas in Lewes before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from Christmas in Lewes are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Key sights
- The North Laine7.1 miCar or taxi 35 min
- Brighton Dome7.2 miCar or taxi 36 min
- Royal Pavilion7.2 miCar or taxi 36 min
- Preston Park7.3 miCar or taxi 36 min
- Palace Pier7.3 miCar or taxi 36 min
- The Lanes7.3 miCar or taxi 36 min
- Brighton i3607.8 miCar or taxi 38 min
- Hove Lawns8.2 miCar or taxi 40 min
Railway stations
- London Road (Brighton) station6.7 miCycle 43 minCar or taxi 34 min
- Brighton station7.1 miCar or taxi 35 min
- Preston Park station7.3 miCar or taxi 36 min
- Hove station8.2 miCar or taxi 40 min