The picturesque old house on the north side of the street is called Anne of Cleve’s House, but this title appears to be contradicted by the date 1599 on the front of the building; there is a possibility that this date was added when certain alterations took place; it is certain, however, that when Thomas Cromwell’s time was past the property was made over to the King, of whom a very startling legend is told locally to the effect that he murdered one of his wives on a stairway in the Priory!

The rebuilt church of St. John-sub-castre has its ugliness redeemed in the antiquary’s eye by the round Saxon arch retained in the outside wall and by the “Magnus Memorial” as certain stones, bearing a Latin inscription in Anglo-Saxon characters, are called.  Here is also a fourteenth century tomb and an old font.  The churchyard forms the site of a Roman camp, the vallum of which may still be seen.

[Illustration:  THE GRANGE, SOUTHOVER.]

St. Thomas-at-Cliffe has several interesting details including an uncommon and elaborate “squint” with two pillars; a modern painting of St. Thomas of Canterbury, patron saint of the church, and an old Dutch representation of the Ascension.

Among the many famous men of Lewes must be mentioned Tom Paine who came here in 1768, marrying in 1771 a daughter of the town named Elizabeth Ollive and in due time succeeding to her father’s business of tobacconist.  The house has already been noticed, it bears a memorial tablet and also a very quaint carved demon.  It is just off the High Street and near St. Michael’s Church.  Lewes cannot claim the honour of seeing the birth of The Rights of Man (a rather dubious honour in those days); the book was written while Paine stayed with his biographer, Thomas Rickman the bookseller, in London.

Another famous resident of Lewes was John Evelyn, who spent a great part of his schooldays in the Grammer School at Southover.  Here also was educated John Pell, the famous mathematician.

A house at the end of the town on the Newhaven road belonged to the Shelleys, and Dr. Johnson once stayed here on his way to the Thrales in Brighton.

The old “Star” Inn has been converted into municipal offices, but the fine front still remains and most of the old work in the interior.  In the tower close by, in the Market-place, is “Great Gabriel,” a bell dating, it is said, from the time of Henry III.  Lower has the following lines on the bells of Lewes:—­

  “Oh, happy Lewes, waking or asleep,
  With faithful hands your time archangels keep! 
  St. Michael’s voice the fleeting hour records,
  And Gabriel loud repeats his brother’s words;
  While humble Cliffites, ruled by meaner power,
  By Tom the Archbishop regulate their hour.”