House in historic Lewes, close to Brighton and the South Downs, 70 mins by train from London

Our house is 10 minutes' walk from Lewes train station, and from the town centre. There is also a field one minute’s walk behind our house that you can use for football, etc.

The house is 200 years old and was formerly a gun shop and bakery. The building has four floors, and the stairs are quite steep.

On the second floor there are two large double bedrooms. They both have low ceilings and wood-lined walls. The rear bedroom overlooks the gardens and the castle, and contains a single bed which can be made into a large double. The front bedroom has a Victorian brass bedstead (a double) with a patchwork quilt, and overlooks the high street. It also contains a wooden child’s bed that can be expanded to fit an adult.

On the first floor is the master bedroom. This is very large and contains a king size double, and a sofa. The large window overlooks the high street and the South Downs in the distance. The room has Victorian bookcases, and decorative plaster moulding on the ceiling. The master bedroom is opposite the family bathroom, which is small but was fitted in 2012, and contains a bath, toilet and a shower.

The whole of the ground floor is open plan. At the rear, French doors open onto the safe and secluded walled courtyard garden. The garden was landscaped in 2014, and has a rose arch, flower beds, a small water feature, brick paths, a barbecue and a patio with an oak bench.

The kitchen was fitted in 2011 and has white wooden units, wooden worktops and a wooden floor. There is a dishwasher, a microwave, oven and hob and a large fridge.
There is an alcove with a dining table and chairs; the table seats 6, but can be expanded to seat 8-10.

The kitchen leads into the living room which has two sofas, seating 5 people. The cupboards contain lots of toys and arts and crafts materials for 7-12 year olds, and an enormous selection of DVDs. The living room TV is high definition and has a large screen. We also have a Playstation.

The ground floor has another toilet, and lots of storage in the hallway for coats and walking boots.

In the basement is a playroom/movie room. The projector and surround-sound system gives a cinema-style experience, with a comfortable futon and bean bags to sit on. Next door is a utility room with a washer, dryer and another shower and toilet.

About the location

Lewes is a pretty, historic town set in the South Downs National Park, yet only 70 minutes by train from London. Just minutes from our front door you will find interesting architecture, antique shops, great restaurants and cafes, art galleries, Harveys Brewery, a weekly market, and lots of fantastic pubs with live music. You can also explore Lewes Castle, Anne of Cleeves' House, the Priory ruins and Grange Gardens. Children will enjoy the Railway Lands nature reserve, Spring Barn Farm, the Leisure Centre and (in summer) the Pells outdoor pool.

Just outside Lewes are the beautiful chalk South Downs hills for walking, horseriding and mountain biking. In ten minutes you can walk from the house to the South Downs or to the River Ouse. Lewes is a good stopping point for people walking The South Downs Way. You can also hike along the Ouse River and in the Ashdown Forest (home of Winnie the Pooh). There are lots of country pubs, and many grand country houses and gardens, including the homes of Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury group. Families can enjoy Drusillas zoo, the Brighton Aquarium, the Bluebell and Lavender steam railway lines, and several farm parks . Opera lovers will want to visit Glyndebourne. The seaside is only 30 minutes' drive from our house, and Brighton is a short train or bus ride away for shopping, The Aquarium and The Royal Pavilion, theatres, clubs, live music and restaurants. The south of England region is easily accessible from Lewes, by car or by public transport. There are direct trains from Lewes to central London in just over an hour. There are ferries to Dieppe, France from Newhaven (25 minutes drive away), and train connections from Lewes to Paris.

For more ideas for your stay: http://www.enjoysussex.info/what-to-do/ http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-global/w-localtoyou/w-south_east.htm http://sussexpast.co.uk/properties-to-discover http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/southdowns/ http://www.vivalewes.com http://www.charleston.org.uk/

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