Castle Banks, Lewes, East Sussex

The Old Poor House is an historic Grade II listed property, believed to be dated from 1633, with colour washed elevations to the front and brick & flint elevations to the rear, offering more than 2,000 sq ft of light filled flexible accommodation. Originally built as an alms house, sitting below Brack Mount (an Ancient Scheduled Monument) and set within Lewes Castle precincts, the property blends high specification finishes with traditional features to create a distinctive and balanced setting for everyday living.

The accommodation flows from a welcoming panelled entrance lobby with stairs down to the lower ground floor and the open plan kitchen, dining, and family area with brick flooring throughout. The kitchen has bespoke cabinetry (build by Alistair Fleming Designs, a local expert craftsman) including a large central island with breakfast bar, floor to ceiling storage, a larder, together with complementary marble, granite, and concrete work surfaces. Above the recently refurbished duck-egg blue Aga is a tiled splash back designed by Laura Carlin; the kitchen also benefits from an electric hob and oven. Other modern appliances are hidden behind doors to create a clean aesthetic. The remaining space is currently configured to accommodate a sizable dining table and various seating areas including around the inglenook fireplace inset with a large woodburning stove. French doors lead to the secluded courtyard garden.

From the entrance lobby, the stairs lead up into a large part-panelled dual aspect drawing room with two fireplaces. On the first floor, there are two double bedrooms (one with fitted storage), and a contemporary bathroom with a walk-in shower that has a custom tadelakt plaster finish. The second floor is dedicated to the property’s generous vaulted dual-aspect principal bedroom which benefits from exposed wooden flooring, two fitted dressing areas in oak and a modern en-suite bathroom. On the landing leading to this room, there is a rare 17th c. window with original glass and latch.

Approached over a quiet lane adjoining the castle grounds, the property is approached direct from the pavement through a recessed front door, a neighbouring side door giving access to a private passageway leading to the rear garden.

The enclosed walled courtyard garden to the rear is block-paved for ease of maintenance and provides an ideal space for entertaining and al fresco dining.

The vibrant and historic county town of Lewes forms part of the South Downs National Park and provides an excellent range of individual shops, supermarkets including Waitrose, cafés, restaurants, pubs and recreational facilities including an independent cinema and the oldest freshwater outdoor swimming pool in the UK. The eclectic town also offers a weekly farmers market with artisan coffee roasters, cheese makers, bakeries, and fresh fish from Newhaven. Local vineyards and breweries are a plenty; Harvey's, Beak and Abyss Breweries, in conjunction with local vineyards and restaurants at Rathfinny, Ridgeview, Artelium and Bolney.

More comprehensive amenities are available in the coastal business and entertainment city of Brighton. Sporting and recreational facilities in the area include opera at Glyndebourne, numerous golf courses, show jumping at Hickstead, further horseracing at Brighton and Goodwood, and sailing at Brighton. Communications links are excellent: the A27 gives access to the A23/M23 and motorway network, London Gatwick Airport and central London, and Lewes station (0.3 mile) offers regular services to central London (London Victoria 1 hour 8 minutes).