Defender Henry day 3

Defender Henry day 3 Michelham Priory and Lewes Travelling west from our stay in the medieval village of Lenham we arrived Michelham Priory deep in the woods north of Eastbourne in Sussex. The Priory was built in 1229 and has passed through many owners including Thomas Cromwell and Ann of Cleves, it still has some of it’s original features intact. There is a new Tudor wing added in the late 1500’s. It has the longest moat in England and today we saw a family of swans on the moat feeding peacefully and serenely.

There were four school parties working in the great tithe barn all the morning we were there. We able to view the house very quietly whilst they were all in the barn working, wandering around the grounds was a delight too. Moving on to the county town of Lewes, we first went to Lewes castle built by the Normans and dominating the countryside, we climbed the keep whilst another group of school students were in the courtyard below. On to Anne of Cleves house, the only one of her houses that is a museum open to the public and where we had a hugely entertaining talk and demonstration by Hands on History. As the name suggests you get your hands on history, actually touching and putting on armour and weapons together with every-day items such as leather tankards, wool clothing, cow horn jugs and bowls. The making of all these items were explained and who used them. Finally we walked to Lewes Priory that was destroyed by Thomas Cromwell in the dissolution and the place has been plundered for stone for centuries. The Priory was huge and the only parts of it are left standing. We paused for a few moments to help the police deal with a couple of youths who had climbed on the unstable walls of the ruins, the madness of youth I suppose but they go down and ran off. The day was finished off with a really great Indian curry and we retired for the night at the White Hart hotel.