Beyond Brighton
Lewes and Glyndebourne: the back story
Beyond Brighton
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Arild Vågen · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Lewes and Glyndebourne: the back story
Lewes, the county town of East Sussex, is about 15 minutes from Brighton by train. Its castle, run by Sussex Past, looks over the town and the River Ouse; Harvey’s Brewery stands by the river in Cliffe; Anne of Cleves House is one of the town’s historic houses; and Pells Pool, a spring-fed lido, opens in summer. Glyndebourne’s opera house is in the countryside nearby. On the evening of 5 November, the Lewes bonfire celebrations draw large crowds: check rail and road notices before you travel that day.
Lewes is about 15 minutes from Brighton by train (National Rail).
The castle
Lewes Castle, with the Barbican House Museum, is run by Sussex Past (sussexpast.co.uk): check its opening days.
Check opening times and trains on the official sites before you travel.
The brewery and the river
Harvey’s Brewery stands by the Ouse in Cliffe; Pells Pool, a freshwater lido, opens for the summer (in 2026 from 18 April).
Glyndebourne
Glyndebourne’s summer festival is famous for long intervals with picnics in the gardens. Take dates, programmes and travel details from glyndebourne.com only.
Our advice: combine a morning in Lewes with an evening at Glyndebourne.
Why it's on our list
- The castle
- The brewery and the river
- Glyndebourne
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Lewes and Glyndebourne: the back story before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from Lewes and Glyndebourne: the back story 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