Viva Lewes Issue #119 August 2016

119
VIVALEWES
EDITORIAL
I often wonder this: if I were transported back in time, and found myself living with a
prehistoric tribe, what sort of nifty stuff could I teach them about modern life? I mean, I
might have a lighter on me, and that would impress them for a bit, until the gas ran out. If I
had a camera, I could show them pixelated pictures of their camp… until the battery went flat.
Would I be able to teach them anything that I’ve learnt about art, with a stick in the sand?
Would any of my ethical beliefs translate into their way of life, even if I could explain them
properly? How could I make them believe - if they didn’t already - that we go round the sun,
rather than vice versa? I’d just better hope, I guess, that they hadn’t yet invented the wheel.
But then again… how do you fashion an axle out of tree?
The latest time I thought about this was when I was learning to skin a rabbit, in an out-ofthe-way
wood clearing, in the cause of this month’s theme: ‘into the wild’. Even though I was
using modern tools - an axe, a machete, a sharp knife - the whole
business made me realise that the prehistoric tribe could and would
teach me a hell of a lot more than I could teach them. So this month’s
message is: there’s a whole lot of wilderness out nearby: go learn
something from it. Just don’t lick the wrong lichen. Enjoy the month…
THE TEAM
.....................
EDITOR: Alex Leith alex@vivamagazines.com
SUB-EDITOR: David Jarman
STAFF WRITER: Rebecca Cunningham rebecca@vivamagazines.com
ART DIRECTOR: Katie Moorman katie@vivamagazines.com
ADVERTISING: Sarah Jane Lewis, Amanda Meynell advertising@vivalewes.com
EDITORIAL/ADMIN ASSISTANT: Steve Ramsey admin@vivamagazines.com
PUBLISHER: Lizzie Lower, lizzie@vivamagazines.com
CONTRIBUTORS: Jacky Adams, Michael Blencowe, Sarah Boughton, Mark Bridge, Emma Chaplin,
Barry Collins, Mark Greco, John Henty, Mat Homewood, Paul Austin Kelly, Chloë King,
Carlotta Luke, Nione Meakin, Marcus Taylor, Cammie Toloui
Viva Lewes is based at Pipe Passage, 151b High Street, Lewes, BN7 1XU, 01273 434567. Accounts: 01273 480131

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THE 'INTO THE WILD' ISSUE
CONTENTS
Bits and bobs.
11-23. Dawn Stacey on this month’s
cover, Steve Homewood’s Lewes
(and beyond), Cliffe’s embattled
rafters, Lewes Year Sixes movin’ on,
remembering the Rose and Crown
and plenty more besides.
39
Columns.
25-29. Jarman on Jarman, King on
the Brexit comedown and Bridge on
sweetening his cat Rupert’s pill.
In town this month.
31. Alternative Miss Snowdrop.
33. Joseph Tawadros, a Coptic Oz
with an oud.
35. Classical music round-up.
37-47. Art. Guy Stevens and Nigel
French on their Artwave offerings,
David Bomberg at the Towner, and
Lizzie Lower’s round-up of other
aesthetically pleasing stuff going on,
in town and way beyond, too.
49-51. Diary dates. What’s on where
including some Finnish singers,
a Spanish artist and, for the first
time in these pages, a military sabre
workshop.
55-57. Gig guide. From
Appalachian rock to Tuvan
overtone.
59-61. Free time. Stuff for U16
peeps to do.
Rennie Pilgrem exhibiting in Artwave. More info on Artwave on pg 43

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THE 'INTO THE WILD' ISSUE
77
69
The way we work.
75-82. Cammie Toloui meets - and
immortalises - a group of South
Downs National Park Rangers, asking
them: where’s the wildest place you’ve
ever been?
Features.
86-97. Apothecarist Amanda Saurin
on the fragrant art of alchemy, Nigel
Greenwood on how he left the City for
a life on the land, Michael Blencowe
eulogises on all things grass snake,
John Henty on beeswax and road rage,
Darren Freeman on Lewes FC’s life
in a lower league, and Barcombe’s Tin
Tab up for sale.
Food.
65-73. Fritters in the sun at Laporte’s,
wild salad at Wowo, goatburger and a
‘Plough-and-Harrowmans’ lunch in
Litlington, Chloë King’s food news and
- squeamishness alert - we learn how to
skin a rabbit.
Business.
98-101. All the winners from the
Lewes District Business Award
ceremony, and our directory spotlight
shines on walk organiser Annie Kerr.
Inside Left.
114. Beacon-building farmers on
Caburn, 1897.
VIVA DEADLINES
We plan each magazine six weeks ahead, with a midmonth
advertising/copy deadline.
Please send details of planned events to events@
vivalewes.com, and for any advertising queries:
advertising@vivalewes.com, or call 01273 434567.
Don’t forget to recycle your Viva.
Every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of our content.
Viva Lewes magazine cannot be held responsible for any omissions,
errors or alterations. The views expressed by columnists do not
necessarily represent the view of Viva Lewes.
Love me or recycle me. Illustration by Chloë King

THIS MONTH’S COVER ARTIST: DAWN STACEY
Growing up in Derbyshire in the Peak District, our
cover artist for this month, Dawn Stacey, has always
loved being surrounded by nature. Since she moved
to Lewes, her daily dog walks through the nearby
wildlife habitats have become an endless source of
inspiration for her paintings.
“While I'm out, I sketch and take photographs of
what I see,” she explains, “and if I find a particularly
interesting plant or flower, I'll take a cutting back
home with me so I can stick it on my canvas and
paint it in more detail, or press it and keep it for a
future painting.” She's built up quite an archive of
images of the changing scenery around her favourite
local spot, the Railway Land, which she shows
me, scrolling through her iPhone gallery.
She’s also become something of an expert, though
8

a modest one, on
the local plant life.
“I love researching
what’s going to be
growing in different
seasons,” she says,
“particularly the edible
weeds that you
can forage.” She
points out some of
the varieties gracing
this month’s cover,
such as catmint,
common mallow, clover, dog rose, and several different
types of mushroom, including her favourite,
‘shaggy inkcap’.
But aside from the plants themselves, this area of
countryside’s diverse habitats create layers of texture
and depth, which Dawn finds particularly intriguing.
“Just recently I’ve been doing a lot of work
based on the reed beds, where we had the floods.
I loved playing around with the reflections in the
water of the reeds and the brambles,” she says. “Another
day I went up to Sheffield Park and discovered
a pond there. I started playing around with
ideas looking at the water, and the lily pads, and all
the insects.”
Winter has a particular draw, with its frosty leaves
and misty mornings: “I love the way the mist makes
the trees in the background really faded and the
ones in the foreground clearer.” And each layer
in the landscape becomes a layer in her painting,
she explains. “I gradually build up layers of texture,
shape, colour and surfaces using acrylic paint, so
that when it’s dry I can scrape through and reveal
the colours underneath.” Rebecca Cunningham
Dawn is exhibiting a selection of work at her home
as part of Artwave, each weekend from August
20th to September 4th. She will also be showing
her paintings at Brighton Art Fair, at the
Corn Exchange from 23rd to 25th September.
dawnstacey.co.uk
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Photo by Alex Leith
MY LEWES: STEVE HOMEWOOD, NATURALIST
Are you local? I was born and raised in Brighton,
but as a child I used to bunk the train over this
way for fishing, foraging and nature watching… all
the stuff my grandfather taught me. I eventually
moved here in 1999.
Your grandfather? He was in the RAF in the war
and was bitten by a snake and would have died but
he was rescued by a tribe of pygmies. He spent
two years living with them and they taught him all
about how to live with nature, respecting everything
around you, and only taking what you need.
'If you want to understand nature, become part of
it,' was one of the things he used to say.
And you’re now a naturalist… About three years
ago I jacked in my job as a dental technician to follow
my passion full time. I take people on nature
walks and give illustrated talks and write books
about the natural environment.
And that’s very rich around here, obviously.
The river, the sea, the hills. You’ve got everything
you need within walking distance.
So you walk everywhere? If I possibly can. You
see more when you walk. You also have to walk
with the right body language, is another thing
my grandfather taught me. If you see a deer, don’t
stare at it. Yawn and close your eyes. It’ll realise you
don’t want to eat it.
What’s your favourite landmark around here?
There are so many, but Mount Caburn stands out.
You get a sense of the past as well as the present…
and of the future, too.
Whereabouts do you do your food shopping?
I mostly forage food, and grow it in my garden. I
try not to eat intensively farmed food, if I can help
it, but if I do I’ll buy it from the Friday Market or
the Farmer's Market. Keep the money in the family,
as it were, and it’ll soon go round again.
So you’re vegetarian? Most of the time. I’ll eat a
roadkill pheasant if I see one. And I go rabbiting
with a friend who’s got ferrets when asked to by a
farmer. Rabbit casserole with locally sourced wild
herbs is just delicious.
How would you spend a perfect Sunday afternoon?
At home doing all the things other people
do in the week. There are too many people out and
about for my liking. In the week I’ll never miss going
out at dawn and dusk, the magic hours.
Rain or shine? What’s a bit of moisture in the air?
You can always shelter under a tree. And you’ll be
in good company. I’ve sheltered with all sorts of
wild creatures.
Where would you live if not Lewes? I can’t think
of an answer to that question. There are a lot of
fine places for natural beauty but Lewes has got
that X-factor and it’s full of interesting people.
Interview by Alex Leith
See page 17 for a review of Steve’s latest book
Source to Sea.
11

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COMMUNITY BITS AND BOBS
CHARITY BOX #5: FLOURISH
What’s your name? Emma
Chaplin. I’m the Project
Manager of Flourish, which
is a Common Cause project
that's been funded by the
National Lottery Reaching
Communities fund.
What does Flourish do?
We run outdoor sessions for
disabled people and those
with mental health challenges. These aim to build
confidence, increase social and other skills, and
support people to move onto other things. Working
in fresh air with the company of others can be
very effective at improving wellbeing. Our users
have said about us: “I feel happy when I’m there”
and “I’m less shy than I used to be”.
Where does it all happen? We operate from
three different sites; Lewes Community Allotment
up on the Nevill; Owena Lewis’ small farm
in Hamsey (Baulcombes Barn) and Ringmer
Community Orchard.
Who can join in? We currently
have regular groups
who attend sessions at
Baulcombes Barn and the
Orchard (where we work
with Plumpton College
supported interns). But anyone
who thinks they could
benefit from it can apply to
come to the allotment sessions on Wednesdays
(plus one Saturday a month). We also run some
open sessions on the other sites - and we’re always
interested in talking to people who might want to
volunteer.
How can people get involved? Contact me or
Sarah Rideout (Community Allotment Coordinator),
flourishlewes@gmail.com, 07752 384852. Or
for more information on Flourish or Common
Cause - or becoming a member of Ringmer Community
Orchard - see commoncause.org.uk.
BOOK REVIEW: THE JOYCE GIRL BY ANNABEL ABBS
In 1934, when Carl Jung was treating James Joyce’s schizophrenic daughter
Lucia, whose career as a highly promising dancer was on the rocks due
to her mental instability, the writer asked the doctor if his daughter was
‘submerged in the same waters as me’. Jung famously replied: “Yes, but
where you swim, she drowns.” It is into this scenario that Lewes-raised
novelist Annabel Abbs takes us, in her novel The Joyce Girl, published by
Impress Books, a house which specialises in first-time authors. The book
starts as Lucia decides, after keeping schtum in her first three visits to
Jung, to tell him what’s the matter with her, and most of the rest of the
novel is told in flashback, from the point where the young dancer first encounters
Samuel Beckett, who she falls in love with at first sight. We soon
realise that her upbringing - blighted by the shadow of her father’s success,
by a childhood spent trailing round Europe, and by the jealous attitude of her mother towards
her - has been far from ideal for her mental stability. But is there a deeper secret she has submerged?
Abbs brings the world of avant-garde Paris around the turn of the 30s to life, as well as the characters
involved; all this as her father (‘Babbo’) struggles to complete his latest novel, referred to by the family
as ‘Work in Progress’, eventually entitled Finnegans Wake. AL
13

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PHOTO OF THE MONTH
DAFT RACE
We had an enormous (virtual) postbag of entries
this month, among which were some real
crackers, so particular congratulations to Matt
Tompsett, who caught this bit of the action at the
Lewes Raft Race on July 3rd. As most readers will
know from experience, the race is probably the
second-most-madcap annual event round these
parts as competitors paddle their home-made
craft down the Ouse from Willey’s Bridge to
Newhaven, dodging missiles thrown by revellers
from the riverbank. In recent years, since it’s
come under the umbrella of the Regatta and its
starting point has moved to a more accessible
area, the race has become more madcap than
ever, with hundreds of spectators attacking the
rafts with edible missiles. “Tesco had stockpiled
eggs near their door that day,” says Matt, “and the
Cliffe Bonfire Society raft, which was looking like
it was already in trouble, was last, so everybody
on the banks was giving it everything they had
left. The boat had a string of rookies on the front
which they’d just left off themselves, they’d just
been hit by a smoke bomb and a flour bomb, and
all the ripples you can see in the water are from
countless eggs that had been thrown from either
bank.” In Matt’s picture, captured on his iPhone,
you can see that the missiles have put two of
their oarsmen temporarily out of their stride,
but no-one has managed to extinguish the torch
that their stroke is, rather gloriously, brandishing.
“I hear their boat didn’t make it much further,”
concludes Matt, “as a member of South Street I
really enjoyed the spectacle.”
Alex Leith
Please send your pics, taken in and around Lewes, to
photos@vivalewes.com, or tweet @VivaLewes. We’ll
choose our favourite for this page, which wins the
photographer £20. Unless previously arranged we
reserve the right to use all pictures in future issues
of Viva magazines and online.
15

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BITS AND BOBS
BOOK REVIEW: SOURCE TO SEA BY STEVE HOMEWOOD
‘Slap the [brown trout] fillets in beaten egg, coat with
porridge oats and fry in bacon fat. At the last minute
drizzle some heather honey over the flesh sides of the
fillets. Eat them with your fingers, sitting on a grass
tussock in the cool mountain air with a nip of whisky
when you are only 13 years old. It is something that
will never leave you.’ Lewes-based naturalist Steve
Homewood (you may remember his picture of mullet
in the Winterbourne in #117) has written a ‘year in the
life’ book, which doubles up as a ‘life in the year’; he
packs in so many memories of his 50-odd years spent
fishing, foraging and most of all, just hanging around
in whatever wilderness he can find. It’s full of anecdotes
and tips, from his own experience and that of his
forebears and friends, from his 4’8” grandfather ‘Billie
Fish’ (a great friend of Rudyard Kipling) to his Scottish
Highland cousins who served up the meal I’ve opened
this paragraph with. Amazing things happen to the
author, you feel, because he is open to them happening,
from his daughter accidentally catching a seal while out crab fishing to being (happily) surrounded by
12 adders for three hours. It’s beautifully written, with a truly poetic turn of phrase, and richly illustrated
with his own photographs. As much of the ‘action’ takes place in and around town, I’d say it was
something of a must-buy for anyone in the area interested in nature. Alex Leith
TOWN PLAQUE #17
The old White Lion Inn, which was on the eastern
side of Westgate Street, near the High Street
junction, was closed in 1937 as part of a housing
clearance scheme. The distinctive sign was saved
and given by the brewery to the Friends of Lewes,
who put up again near its original location in 1954.
It had been made by a Lewes craftsman named
Larwill, whose High Street shop was close by. In
2012 it was removed for restoration and its replacement
was delayed by fears that, being made mainly
of copper, it might attract metal thieves. The then
Town Ranger, Chris Kemp, painstakingly cleaned
it. In May, 2014 a resin replica was put up in Westgate
and Lewes Town Council paid to replace the
original’s lost tail. It can now be seen on display
high up in the Corn Exchange. Marcus Taylor
17

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BITS AND BOBS
SPREAD THE WORD
Viva Dieppe? Have we started a mag for notres amis over the Channel? No, it’s
a little trick by reader Tonia Page, who took a copy of Viva on a stag do she was
attending [you read that right, ed] and, with a little bit of jiggery-pokery, created this
optical illusion. Meanwhile Kelly Hill stepped out
from the poetry tent at Latitude Festival in Suffolk to
check what she was missing at home. A cursory glance
through diary dates in VL118 would have shown her
that, had she stayed at home she’d have been able to
enjoy - amongst other things - the start of the South
Downs Poetry Festival, the Wealden Food and Wine
Festival and Tea and Lewkulele (a tea party hosted by a local uke band)…
proving that you can have all the fun and feasting of a festival, without those
treacherous toilets. Keep sending your pics to hello@vivamagazines.com
BENTLEY WILDFOWL AND MOTOR MUSEUM IN NUMBERS
Bentley estate is 7 miles from Lewes and was bought by the Askew family in 1937. The wildfowl collection
opened in 1962 and the motor museum in 1982. Then in 1985 the miniature railway was opened, operating
7¼ inch scale model locomotives over 1 mile of track. The wildfowl park is 23 acres in extent and has
125 of the 147 worldwide breeds of wildfowl. And the site hosts special events too, including 2 ‘Into the
Wild’ events this year. Sarah Boughton
GHOST PUB #22: THE ROYAL OAK, PIDDINGHOE
To fit in with the theme of ‘Into the Wild’, we are leaving
Lewes just for this month, and heading out into the
sticks. Many readers may remember the Royal Oak at Piddinghoe.
As far back as 1829 an auction was held featuring
several lots belonging to Newhaven Brewery, one of which
was a house in Piddinghoe, ‘late the Royal Oak Inn’. It
was run as a beer house throughout the mid to late 1800s.
However, in 1892 an application was submitted for a new
beer house, as the old one was ‘in a dilapidated condition
and required rebuilding.’ A full license was also requested,
as there were many calls for spirits in Piddinghoe, and the beer house keeper had often ‘sent to Newhaven
for brandy in cases of illness.’ Permission was granted. The Royal Oak appears to have kept a low profile
with regards to the law, apart from in 1913 when landlord John Stephens was fined for serving shandy to
a seven-year-old girl, who hid the bottle under her pinafore. It became a popular pub with both locals and
visitors, but sadly was gutted by a fire in 1992. Many villagers rallied together in an attempt to restore the
pub. However, it was not to be, and the building is now a private house. Mat Homewood
Thanks to Russell Pilfold for his assistance.
19

BITS AND BOBS
VOX POP: SUSSEX DOWNS STUDENTS KIRSTY ARMSTRONG AND
DEXTER LONG ASKED: WHAT WOULD YOU CALL YOUR BAND?
“I would call it The Sheet
Ergernis and I would play
guitar.” Andras Lawson
“My band would be called
Research, because I love
doing it, and I would be the
singer.” June Norris
“The band would be called
The Rickies, and I would be
lead singer.” Emily Ricky
21

BITS AND BOBS
WIN TICKETS TO SMALL WONDER FESTIVAL
The Small Wonder Festival returns to the beautiful grounds of
Charleston from the 28th of September to the 2nd of October. This
year’s line-up of literati includes Eimear McBride, Lionel Shriver,
Kevin Barry, Lisa McInerney, Kei Miller and Petina Gappah, and
themes of fluidity and mutability weave through the programme.
There are events looking at the refugee experience, the alpha and
omega of sex and death, and changing fashions within short stories.
The anniversaries of Roald Dahl and Charlotte Brontë are celebrated
and there is an imaginative rendezvous between Hercule Poirot and Jules Maigret. The Charleston
Small Wonder Lifetime’s Excellence in Short Fiction Award will be presented at the opening and the
finale will see Juliet Stevenson reading Poems that Make Grown Women Cry. See the full programme at
charleston.org.uk/smallwonder
You can join in, too, with our ticket give away. We’ve got one pair of tickets for the interactive Slam:
Under the Sea on Friday 30th September at 7.30pm and one pair for Literary Death Match on Saturday
1st October at 8pm. To enter the draw, email us with which event you would prefer to see, along with
your name and address, to hello@vivamagazines.com.We’ll pick the winner on 1st September.
See our website for terms & conditions.
Adrian Todd Zuniga by Ben Meadows
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22

PHOTOGRAPHY
CARLOTTA LUKE
PATINA PARADE
Perhaps the second-most photogenic parade of the
year in Lewes is Patina, the coming-of-age event
for Year 6 primary school kids about to move on to
secondary school. Every July kids from schools in
Lewes and neighbouring villages march through
town, in themed fancy dress, chanting slogans and
carrying banners and other papier mâché creations.
It is, of course, a riot of noise and colour, that is
(we know from experience) extremely difficult to
capture on camera. Which is why we’re delighted
by this selection from Carlotta, aided by this year’s
imaginative theme: ‘We are walking works of art’.
carlottaluke.com
23

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COLUMN
David Jarman...
on Jarman
Browsing through the
bargain books outside
the excellent Bow
Windows Bookshop
on Lewes High
Street, I come across a
small batch of paperback
poetry. Some of
the titles are inscribed
by their authors to
‘Larry and Natalie’
(Laurence Lerner and
his wife). Amongst
the names I know
well - Anthony Thwaite, John Fuller, Geoffrey
Hill - there’s one I’ve never heard of, a certain
Mark Jarman. So when the shop’s proprietors ask
me if I’m related to him, I have to say “No”. In
fact, I’m not related to anyone even mildly well
known. Not that there are any famous Jarmans
to be related to, really.
I suppose Derek Jarman is the nearest to a
household name. His 1979 film of The Tempest
features in the current Shakespeare in Ten Acts
exhibition at The British Library. But even that
film, I fear, is best remembered for Elisabeth
Welch’s spirited rendition of Stormy Weather.
After all, she had a blue plaque unveiled to her
in Ovington Court, Kensington in 2012. I’m not
sure I can see Derek Jarman being so honoured.
Until the age of 14, when I decided to read books
instead, I cared for little but football and cricket.
So I was keenly aware of the sporting Jarmans.
Barry (actually Barrington) Jarman, was an
Australian wicketkeeper who played 19 tests
for his country between 1959 and 1968. Then
there was the Bristol Rovers footballer Harold
Jarman. Even at the time I thought this might
be clutching at straws. But a few years ago, in
The Guardian, he was remembered and eulogised
Photo by Lizzie Lower
by David Foot as ‘a
record goalscoring
winger’.
One impeccably dim
figure from the distant
past is John Boykett
Jarman, a curiosity
dealer in St James’
Street, London. He’s
only really remembered
for being anathematized
by William
Beckford, in a letter
dated 26th June, 1819,
as ‘that infamous thief and puppy Jarman’.
Five years before his film of Chimes at Midnight,
Orson Welles played the part of Falstaff in a
stage version in Dublin, directed by Hilton
Edwards. The actor who played Henry IV was
Reginald Jarman, a veteran of the Gate Theatre.
Unfortunately he was becoming very deaf.
During rehearsals Hilton Edwards was often
reduced to shouting the likes of “to the left,
Reggie, to the left”, as Reggie headed resolutely
to the right. These antics eventually provoked
the exasperated cry “you’re the King of England,
dear, not the fucking Wandering Jew”.
I found my favourite ‘Jarman’ story in Bertrand
Russell’s autobiography. He recalls meeting his
lifelong friend, Charles Sanger, for the first time,
at Cambridge, and then recounts how Sanger,
‘one of the kindest men that ever lived’, became
a Chancery barrister ‘known in legal circles for
his highly erudite edition of Jarman On Wills.
Apparently, Sanger used to lament that Thomas
Jarman’s relatives had ‘forbidden him to mention
in the preface that Jarman died intestate’.
(My thanks to Daniel Waley for putting me on
the unsavoury trail of John Boykett Jarman,
more than 20 years ago.)
25

COLUMN
Chloë King
Gets that sinking feeling
One thing is
certain: by the
time you read this,
the situation in
the UK will have
continued to oscillate
between scary
and bonkers in the
weeks post referendum.
I’m writing
on the Monday
after our votes were
cast, reflecting on
the weekend that
taught me what it is to have a Glastonbury-scale
hangover on the back of consuming not much
other than current affairs.
It’s not all bad. On Friday morning I bought
babaganoush at the market and in the afternoon
the Pells Pool was sunny and uncongested. I pulled
my daughter around the paddling pool attached
to an inflatable flamingo. After that, thanks to my
mother-in-law and her sister, Mr and I were able to
go to the pub. I had bet £5 on Brexit at 6:1 in the
hope of softening the blow. This, it failed to do,
but it has paid for quite a few Harveys. I wonder
how much I would have had to bet in order to
make up for the drop in the pound?
We walked into the Lewes Arms and Mr, always
ripe for discussion, said he had considered a Leave
vote himself. At this point, daggers were shot in
just one direction. There’s no room for missed
opportunities here. One friend left; another was
close to tears; on the other side of the bar, some
silent celebration. There will be redundancies at
Brighton University. Friends are being unfriended,
others told to go home.
Mr mused on the possibility of civil war, when
once friendly spaces become hostile. Thankfully,
we’re not there yet. I stood outside, Instagramming
a couple navigating
Pipe Passage
on a sofa charged
with the engine
from a mobility
scooter.
On Saturday, we
returned prematurely,
driven into the
Front Bar by hordes
of Morris dancers.
‘It’ll be compulsory
weekend entertainment
from now on,’
we joked, and then I ordered Jamaican curry, rice
and peas.
"Is that blackface?" said someone, to the backdrop
of jingling bells. The whole scene felt charged with
simmering unease. ‘Not blackface,’ said another,
with a tone of uncertainty.
Later on, we walked down Station Street, passing
by the sinkhole that’s opened under Lewes Patisserie.
It was the first time I’d seen it and as I stared
into the void, I heard a conversation behind me
getting louder.
"What did you vote?"
"Out."
"I knew you would. I knew you would…"
Mr explained how a sinkhole is created. The clay
pipe running from the toilet has a crack in it, and
over years, it’s leaking, leaking, and the ground
around it is slowly turning into sediment, and
being drawn away with the water from the pipe.
Then you’re left with a thin crust of earth, just
strong enough to hold everything up until one day
it breaks, revealing a massive gulf.
"That’s bad." He said, looking into the hole. "I
wouldn’t like to have to deal with that."
It’s funny when big things happen, and the whole
world seems filled with handy metaphors.
Illustration by Chloë King
27

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COLUMN
Photo by Mark Bridge
East of Earwig
Animal crackers
One of my mother’s friends turns the television off
whenever Springwatch is broadcast because there's
too much sex and death in each programme. (I
imagine she isn't watching the BBC’s new drama
Versailles either, for the same reasons.) I also find
the natural world is often a sad place, but my chosen
solution is to crack inappropriate jokes. With
that in mind, here are a couple of true tales about
creatures I’ve encountered locally.
My most recent brush with nature in Ringmer
happened when I was driving over the hill to
Glynde on Tuesday. A young pheasant wandered
out from the undergrowth and turned to face me
with what I assumed to be a puzzled expression.
Fortunately there was time for me to brake
and steer round it. They’re not clever birds, are
they? Mind you, their lack of depth perception
doesn’t do them any favours. I wonder how long
it’ll be before pheasants start to evolve with
large forward-facing eyes, like owls or tarsiers.
Until then, the idea of people hunting them with
guns seems mismatched. May I propose a more
evenly balanced form of pheasant-based sport,
in which the hunters stand on the bonnet of a
moving Land Rover with a Victorian butterfly
net? Rather like fly fishing, you could release the
creatures afterwards. They might even learn from
their experience.
If you prefer your animals to be more closely
managed, I’d recommend a visit to Raystede, the
rescue centre on the edge of Ringmer. I have a
soft spot for Raystede. Well, they cooked my dog
a few years ago. You may prefer 'cremated' but
I need that dark humour to deflect the realities
of life and its apparently inevitable end. Ringo
was a dear little Jack Russell terrier, crisped up
after nineteen glorious years and sprinkled on
the South Downs. Joking apart - which is rare
for me - the whole distressing affair was handled
very sensitively.
I'm not a dog owner these days. Neither am
I a cat owner, although I am a cat feeder. And
something of a drug dealer as far as my feline
friend Rupert is concerned; he's been prescribed
furosemide and benazepril hydrochloride to help
with his dodgy heart, which involves me wrapping
each tablet in a tiny parcel of ham to make
it more palatable. Not so much a cocktail of
drugs, more a medicated amuse-bouche.
But now I must take you back to my car journey.
Returning down the road from Glynde, there was
no sign of the young pheasant I’d avoided. Instead,
I noticed a couple of magpies on the road.
Could this be an omen of good luck, I wondered.
Then I saw they were paying great attention to a
pheasant-shaped stain on the tarmac. Someone’s
not been so lucky. But look on the bright side,
I told myself. That might not have been the
pheasant I originally saw. It could have been its
flat-mate. Mark Bridge
29

IN TOWN THIS MONTH: BEAUTY PAGEANT
Alternative Miss Snowdrop
Dame Edith and Tanya Hyde
So what is Alternative
Miss Snowdrop,
exactly?
Dame Edith: Well
it's a sort of beauty
pageant. But the
beauty’s mostly on
the inside.
Tanya Hyde: It's
a terribly ancient
Lewes institution
- like Dame Edith
herself. And I bring
a bit of youth to
the proceedings.
DE: A leg probably. She’s got him locked up
down in the cellar.
TH: Unlike regular pageants, we’re very open.
Contestants can be male, female or genderneutral,
or all three at the same time. There’s
no DNA testing. They compete in Daywear,
Swimwear and Eveningwear rounds, and we ask
them difficult questions such as who they’d most
like to meet when they’re in Lewes. Most of them
say Miles Jenner. And we have neutral judges who
are chosen on the night.
DE: It’s a very sought after title, you know.
Winning Alternative Miss Snowdrop can really
change your life.
Really? Could you give me an example?
DE: Well, Joyce, who won the year before last, it
certainly changed her life.
TH: Yes, in the final round she confessed to
starving her husband to death in his caravan. She
was arrested the moment she came off stage and
has been locked up ever since.
DE: And her husband had won the year before,
so you see, that’s two lives that were completely
transformed by the competition.
TH: And as for last year’s winner, Clitolde de
Brest. Well, she’s used the title to touch so many
lives. She’s left her mark on so many people.
DE: Luckily, the
antibiotics soon
clear it up.
There’s such a
strong chemistry
between you
two. Are you
good friends
offstage as well?
DE: Oh yes, I
like to think of
us as the Theresa
May and Andrea
Leadsom of
South Street.
And I hope it’s not indiscreet to say we’ve both
advised Theresa on her wardrobe. We suggested
one from Ikea.
TH: And I’ve lent her some of my old shoes. It’s
really nice to have a female prime minister who’s
a size ten.
I must say you’re both very, how shall I put
it… well preserved.
DE: Pickled, in Tanya’s case. And of course she’s
not all that she might appear…
TH: If anyone says I’ve had work done, I’ll sue!
DE: Speaking of plastic, dear, did you see that
doll of [the German footballer] Bastian Schweinsteiger?
The same Chinese company has released
a doll modelled on Tanya.
TH: My lawyers are on the case.
DE: The Tanya doll is aimed at a much more
specialist market, I understand. It’s inflatable.
TH: Actually it’s a very inclusive occasion and
lots of families come. There’s no smut, not that
anyone under age would understand, anyway. And
there’s a lovely party in the street afterwards.
Interview by Dexter Lee
Alternative Miss Snowdrop, at the Snowdrop Inn,
follows South Street Sports Day and Dog Show at
8pm on August 20th 2016. Contestant registration
from 6pm.
31

28 SEPTEMBER TO 2 OCTOBER 2016
KEVIN BARRY, PETINA GAPPAH, PHILIP HENSHER,
EIMEAR McBRIDE, LISA McINERNEY,
KEI MILLER, SOPHIE HANNAH, ELIF SHAFAK,
LIONEL SHRIVER, JOHN SIMENON, ALI SMITH,
JULIET STEVENSON, AND MANY MORE
CHARLESTON.ORG.UK/SMALLWONDER

OUT OF TOWN THIS MONTH: MUSIC
Joseph Tawadros
Coptic rocker
The oud is a traditional Middle Eastern
instrument that looks like a guitar or banjo, but
it’s fretless and the way it’s plucked is different.
Although I dabble with other instruments, I don’t
feel as comfortable with them. The oud is my
voice. It’s a very emotional instrument and emotion
is important to me.
I’m lucky to be sponsored so I have my own
model of oud, a JT Signature Series. It’s built to
the measurements I like and has an extra string.
I’m basically the Middle Eastern Eric Clapton!
I’m Egyptian but grew up in Australia. The Aussie
accent definitely confuses some audiences. I’m
sure I’d do better with an Arabic accent. People
would be like, ‘Now we’re going to see some
genuine oud’.
People are often surprised that I joke around
between songs. Most oud concerts are depressing,
man! It’s a very melancholy instrument and a
lot of the people who play it are refugees or other
displaced people from war-torn places. The worst
thing that’s ever happened to me is Australia losing
the cricket.
The moustache is a new development. I just
had a big hipster beard initially, which I was kind
of proud to have grown. But then I did a tour of
Egypt. Since the Muslim Brotherhood fell from
power, having a big beard is not cool so I added
the moustache to take off the edge.
I play 52 different instruments on my latest
album World Music and my brother James plays
11. When you play the same instrument all the
time you sometimes fall into routines. Picking up
an unfamiliar instrument shakes you out of that.
It imposes restraint and makes you think differently
about what you’re doing.
I did another album that was based on getting
the worst instruments I could find to record
with the oud; tuba, vibraphone, Hammond organ
- really weird combinations. The point was to
make it work and it did, because it’s not really
about the instrument but the person playing it.
Record companies want to put you into a neat
box but I’ve been avoiding categorisation for
years. I’ve played with punk bands, jazz players,
classical musicians and even a slightly random
show with [American rock group] Wheatus. I see
myself as a world musician not as in the genre but
as in, a musician of the world interested in music
of the world.
Journalists seem to view the world music
genre as some sort of tragedy, like: ‘What is
‘world’ music? Isn’t that every type of music?’
Well, yeah! And that’s great. It’s a genre that’s the
opposite of Brexit. All the other categories want
to stand alone: ‘This is jazz, you can’t come here.’
World music means there are Indian, Arabic,
African, Chinese musicians and they’re all living
happily in the same CD box.
As told to Nione Meakin
Joseph Tawadros plays the Lapwing Music Festival,
Cuckmere Haven, August 6th – 7th
33

IN TOWN THIS MONTH: MUSIC
Classical Round-up
Sea Pictures and seaside cottages
The Lapwing Festival is a new weekend series of solo string recitals
taking place at the scenic Coastguard Cottages of Cuckmere Haven
in Seaford. Each of the featured artists - oud player Joseph Tawadros,
violinist John Crockatt, da gamba player Liam Byrne and cellist Anthony
Albrecht - will play in this intimate environment, with all profits going to the Cuckmere Haven
SOS campaign, set up to save the cottages from coastal erosion. Grab your tickets quickly, as there are
only 35 seats for each concert. See website for further info.
Fri 5-Sun 7, Cuckmere Haven, Seaford, £30-40, lapwingfestival.yapsody.com
Mezzo-soprano Siân Griffiths (above) will start her postgraduate training in Voice at the Guildhall
School of Music and Drama this September. She has performed a number of roles for New Sussex Opera,
as well as Chorus in Garsington's 2016 productions of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin and Mozart's
Idomeneo. Her delightful programme here in Lewes will feature Robert Schumann’s Frauenliebe und Leben,
Debussy’s Chansons de Bilitis and Elgar’s Sea Pictures. She will be partnered by Lewes-based pianist
Carol Kelly. Sun 7, 3pm, St Michael's Church, free
Members of the Brighton Philharmonic will be giving a chamber concert showcasing Lewes-based
composer John Hawkins’ work Fuzon, a string quartet in two movements. Hawkins, whose works have
already been performed worldwide, came to composition after a career in publishing. Also on the programme
will be Mozart’s String Divertimento in Bb Major K137, two movements of Dvorak’s Zypressen
and Haydn's String Quartet in Bb Op.1 No.1. Sun 14, 5pm, Brighton Unitarian Church, £15, brightonticketshop.com
Paul Austin Kelly
Photo by Katie Vandyck
35

Farley Farm House & gallery
Home of the Surrealists
Experience the extraordinary atmosphere of the Sussex home of the
Surrealists Lee Miller and Roland Penrose whose friends and guests
included Picasso, Max Ernst, Man Ray and Miró. We open to visitors on
Sundays offering 50 minute guided tours, inspiring exhibitions in our
gallery and a sculpture garden to explore.
www.farleyfarmhouse.co.uk
Farley Farm House
Muddles Green, Chiddingly
East Sussex, BN8 6HW
Tel: 01825 872 856
Open to visitors every Sunday from April - October 2016 from 10. 00 am - 3.30 pm

ART
FOCUS ON:
‘We Come From
the Same Place’
by Guy Stevens
Kilkenny Limestone
53 x 11 x 13 cm
This piece is as much about the mark making as the form. My favourite stone to work is Purbeck
or Kilkenny, because of the colour. Darker stone gives you a broader palette to work with, and a greater
contrast of light and shadow. The form is pushing the stone to see how far I can take it before it ends up in
two pieces. But sometimes you end up being too clever.
I have several themes running though my work at once. Lately it’s been spikes and spirals. They’re
simple, but they’re all about rhythm. Sound and rhythm are very important in stone carving. If something
breaks, you’ll hear it before you see it. It’s like listening to music; if the stone rings, that’s good, but if the
note becomes dull, you know the integrity has been lost.
Every piece always starts with the stone. I can have an idea in my head but maybe the stone doesn’t
want to do that. I recently completed a cave-like sculpture that I hollowed out from six tons of Ancaster
Weatherbed. I spent all day at the quarry until I found the right stone, and that dictated the shape of the
final piece. If you don’t let the stone have the final say, you’re going to be in trouble.
Thinking in 3D is a rascal and the simplest forms can be the hardest. For me, the best pieces don’t
have a ‘right’ side, a front or a top. I prefer objects that can sit any which way. Humour often creeps in and
then they begin to look like funny creatures. The spikey pieces look like they’re walking; they begin to
develop a body language.
I like artefacts and the thought that my work will return to the earth. I never throw offcuts away,
instead I sculpt tiny objects from them. I like to leave pieces of stone in unlikely places - I like the thought
that pieces of stone from Italy or India will turn up in Sussex tracks and have people puzzling… LL
Guy’s studio will be open as part of Artwave (Venue 9) and he’ll be exhibiting work alongside Sarah Walton and
Jo Sweeting in Alciston (Venue 34). See artwavefestival.org for dates.
37

SG12 events card DL 03e DATE CHANGE_Layout 1 10/02/2012 10:20 Page 2
DESIGNER MAKERS
OF CONTEMPORARY AND
TRADITIONAL CRAFTS
DESIGNER MAKERS
OF CONTEMPORARY AND
TRADITIONAL CRAFTS
Ceramics
Furniture
Glass
Jewellery
Leather
Metalwork
Pewter
Printmaking
Stone carving
Textiles
Wood turning
Contemporary
EVENTS 2012
CRAFT SHOW
CONTEMPORARY
Michelham Priory
CRAFT 4 SHOWS - 7 August
THROUGHOUT 10.30am - 5.00pm SUSSEX
The Sussex Guild
Shop and Gallery
The North Wing
Southover Grange
Southover Road
Lewes, East Sussex
BN7 1TP
Shop open 7 days a
week, 10.00 - 5.00
except Christmas Day
Reg. Charity no: 292234
www.thesussexguild.co.uk
01273 479565
www.thesussexguild.co.uk
Upper Dicker, Hailsham,
East Sussex BN27 3QS
www.thesussexguild.co.uk

ART
FOCUS ON:
Lewes Alphabet
By Nigel French
483 x 330mm print, £50
Is this the first town you’ve ‘alphabeted’?
No. I lived in San
Francisco, and I paid tribute in a
similar way as a love poem to the
city, just before I left. Then I moved
to Brighton, and I’ve done one for
Brighton, too. I moved to Lewes
a couple of years ago, though I’ve
long known the place as I have old
friends here.
Have you got any criteria for choosing the letters? Yes. Any company I choose should be an independent
concern, rather than a national chain. Preferably the letter should be the first letter in that company’s
name. And it has to be somewhere I like, or that means something to me. It also has to sit well with the
letters around it. The whole process takes quite a time to cook.
Was any letter particularly hard to find? I couldn’t find a ‘D’, then this morning [July 6th] my girlfriend
texted me with a picture of the Depot Cinema’s new sign, so I went down and took one myself. I’m pretty
sure I’m going to like that place!
Do you have a professional interest in lettering? I’m a graphic designer, and an author of a book about
typography in Adobe InDesign. Once you get that deep into the subject, you’re never bored, because
there’s typography everywhere and you’re never short of visual stimulation. Lewes is a great place because
there are a lot of examples of historic typography, which is becoming more valued than it used to be.
What’s your favourite font? I have an ongoing relationship with several of them. My favourite of the
moment is ‘Tisa’, but that will probably change soon. The worst thing that can happen to a font is for it to
become overexposed, then you get bored with it, like a song you’ve heard too many times.
Interview by Alex Leith
Nigel will be exhibiting his work as part of Artwave (Venue 65) at 3 Mount Pleasant, 20th, 21st, 27th, 28th,
29th August and 3rd, 4th September.
39

Chalk Gallery – Irresistible – Affordable – Original – ART
7 days a week 10am – 5pm. New work every six weeks
Chalk Gallery will again be part of
Lewes Art Wave 20th August until
4th September. Please join us on our
late evening opening on Friday 19th
August 5pm-8pm.
Chalk Gallery,
4 North Street,
Lewes, BN7 2PA
t: 01273 474477
www: chalkgallerylewes.co.uk

ART
Bomberg’s landscapes
Visions of a difficult man
David Bomberg was born
in Birmingham in 1890,
the son of a Polish immigrant
leather worker. In
1895, the family moved to
Whitechapel. He studied
with Walter Bayes at the
City & Guilds evening
classes. For a time he was
taught by Sickert. Between
1911 and 1913 he was at
the Slade. He was associated
with, but not a member
of, the Vorticist group.
His early masterpieces,
The Mud Bath, based on
memories of Schevzik’s
Steam Baths in the East
End, and In the Hold are very much of the zeitgeist.
In 1915 he enlisted in the Royal Engineers, later
transferring to the 18th King’s Royal Rifles. His
experiences changed his artistic vision for ever. In
the 1920s, he was in Palestine, an official artist of
the Keren Hayesod (Palestine Foundation Fund).
In the 1930s, in Spain. He returned to London in
1935, eventually establishing himself as a hugely
influential presence at the Borough Polytechnic
and setting up the Borough Group. From 1954 he
was back in Spain, attempting to found a school of
painting in Ronda. Bomberg died in 1957.
An excellent, free exhibition, concentrating on
Bomberg’s landscapes, is at the Towner in Eastbourne
until 11th September. There’s no doubt
in my mind that Bomberg was one of the greatest
twentieth-century British artists. And yet, he
died in poverty and obscurity. Why? Certainly he
was a difficult man. He left the Slade early, possibly
because of his rebelliousness or, as suggested
in a recent book on Frank Auerbach by Catherine
Lampert, because ‘he was stroppy and hit someone…
which is why he was
asked to leave, not because
his work was too avantgarde’.
According to the
Towner, between 1939 and
1944 Bomberg submitted
applications for more than
300 teaching posts, all of
which were rejected. The
painting school that he
tried to establish in Ronda
never got off the ground
because he was evicted
from the premises before
the first students arrived.
And yet, he was revered
by his pupils at Borough.
Leon Kossoff and Frank
Auerbach are the most famous, though they were
never formal members of the Borough Group. Perhaps
their fame has rather eclipsed Bomberg’s own.
Kossoff has said of Bomberg’s teaching: ‘Although
I had painted most of my life, it was through my
contact with Bomberg that I felt I might actually
function as a painter. Coming to Bomberg’s class
was like coming home.’
Ultimately, Bomberg was simply not prepared
to compromise his artistic vision to yield to the
dictates of fashion. Among the theoretical statements
found among his papers was one that read
‘style is ephemeral - form is eternal.’ Elsewhere he
once wrote: ‘An artist whose integrity sustains his
strength to make no compromise… is never degraded.
No one part of the work periods should be
selected for preferment to the detriment of another.
It is all one - and shows the way of youth to age.’ DJ
August events at Towner, relating to the exhibition,
include a curator's walk and talk, on 25th, 12.30pm,
free; and Perspectives on David Bomberg, which explores
his portraits, Sunday 28th, 2pm.
David Bomberg, The Broken Aqueduct, Wadi Kelt near Jericho, 1926
41

ARTWAVE 2016
20 AUGUST - 4 SEPTEMBER
Artwave favourites 2015: front cover, Keith Pettit, photography by Carlotta Luke,
back cover: Artists & an Orchard (Ringmer), and Driftwood Garden (Seaford)
123 venues, 400 artists and makers
OPEN STUDIOS • ARTISTS’ HOUSES • GALLERIES
EXHIBITIONS • WORKSHOPS • TRAILS
across Lewes, Seaford, Newhaven
and the rural areas
LEWES PREVIEW NIGHT ● 19 AUGUST ● 6-8PM
For brochures and info, visit the Artwave Hub at Lewes TIC
www.artwavefestival.org
Join the conversation @artwavefestival

ART
ART & ABOUT
In town this month
ARTWAVE 2016
Janice Thurston
Portraits of Glyndebourne
continues at Chalk Gallery
until 7th August, and is
followed from the 8th to
the 15th by recent works
from Janice Thurston. Her
wonderfully wild paintings of
the South Downs capture the
shifting light, the changing
colours of the encroaching
seasons and the ancient
agricultural traces on the
landscape. You’ll want to walk
right into them. The exhibition
continues, after an interlude
for Artwave, from September
5th-18th.
You can see the oil paintings
by Sam Hewitt and the
colourful, geometric works of
Paul Bartholomew at Pelham
House until the 18th when
their Artwave exhibition
showcases four talented artists:
portraits by Noura Hardy,
wildlife works by Marion
McConaghie, the abstracts
of Michael Munday and the
seascapes of Liesha Yaz.
Artbox, Venue 25
If you hadn’t got the hint,
Artwave 2016 is the main
event from 20th August until
4th September with 62 (!)
venues in town alone - 13 of
them holding sneak previews
on the evening of Friday
19th. All the galleries have
shows - St Anne's Galleries
with work from their house
artists, Hop Gallery hosts
the 10th Anniversary of the
Sussex Arts Collective, and
Keizer Frames has work
from Alvaro Petritoli, Janine
Shute and others – but there’ll
be art popping up in all sorts
of unlikely places too. With
over 400 artists exhibiting
Peter Kettle, Venue 100
work at more than 120 venues
over three weekends, there’s
much to discover in villages
from Laughton to Ditchling,
from Seaford to Danehill and
everywhere in between. From
a painter's studio on a dairy
farm in Litlington (Venue 40),
to wood carvers in Barcombe
>>>
43

ART
Alexander Johnson (detail), Venue 21
(08), leather books at Artbox in
Swanborough (25), a gallery in
a caravan in Newhaven (113),
not to mention exhibitions in
offices, shops and eateries - it’s a
veritable art tsunami.
There’s plenty of sustenance
to keep you going too, with
many venues extending the
hospitality. There’s handmade
books and gluten-free goodies
at Cake at Kate’s (44) and
you can decorate your own
masterpiece at the pop-up
Surrealist Art Café in Lewes
House on 3rd September in
John Marshall, Venue 40
aid of Cancer Research. There’s
a host of other events too.
Jane Wateridge is offering
free portfolio reviews at her
studio (104) on 26th, there’s
free alfresco life drawing in
Grange Gardens on the 20th
& 27th and an introduction
to stone carving at Artists &
an Orchard (19) on the 27th
& 28th. Fine art meets arts
psychotherapy at Make Your
Mark in Alfriston (36) and don’t
Penny Boylan, Venue 115
miss the Driftwood Garden
(116) in Seaford - an Artwave
favourite in 2015. There’s so
much to see and do, you’re
going to need to clear your walls
and your diary and don some
comfortable shoes. Pick up a
guide from Lewes or Seaford
TIC and plan your own trail.
[artwavefestival.org]
Green Screen Goddess from 10,000 Waves
(2010), © Isaac Julien
Just down the road
Somehow you’ve got to fit in the extraordinary retrospective
of watercolours by the late Ian Potts at University of
Brighton from 30th July. And make some time to get to
Towner where David Bomberg: A Sense of Place continues
(more of that on page 41). There’s also Some Are Nights
Others Stars to see; a major exhibition by five internationally
renowned artists 'whose works embody contrasting
experiences of displacement and loss with the dynamics of
movement and transformation'.
See the interrelated film installations, large-scale sculptural works,
paintings and drawings of Isaac Julien, Siobhán Hapaska, Tiffany
Chung, Ruth Claxton and Michael Armitage drawing inspiration from
as diverse perspectives as Morecambe Bay, the Mediterranean, Ho Chi
Minh City and Kenya. As if that weren’t enough at the Towner, the 2016
East Sussex Open continues all month, bringing together 70 of the brightest
and best, established and emerging artists from across the region.
Dominic Bradnum, The Devil + Idle Hands, 2015, oil on canvas, Courtesy the artist.
45

ART
Further Afield
The Sussex Guild Contemporary Craft Show takes place at Michelham Priory from the
4th–7th. Members of the guild, along with guest exhibitors, display their work in the Elizabethan
Great Barn and in marquees on the lawns. See the latest work of Fleur Grenier, one of the UK's
leading pewtersmiths. Inspired by molten lava, her recent explorations combine pewter with blown
glass forms, celebrating movement and fluidity. There’ll also be demonstrations from a blacksmith,
woodturning, embroidery, quilting and enamelling together with several potters showing different
aspects of their craft. [thesussexguild.co.uk]
Best be quick if you want to see Willem Sandberg: from type to image, at The
De La Warr Pavilion. It finishes on the 4th. In the west, Pallant House
have unveiled their installation by Lothar Götz. Well worth the day trip.
Jerwood has Bitten By Picasso (more on that next month) as well as
Marcus Harvey as part of the Root 1066 Festival. Leading British
artist and erstwhile YBA, Inselaffe (a German word meaning ‘island
monkey’) is his largest UK gallery exhibition to date. Thumbing his
nose at motifs and emblems of Britishness, expect tough but humorous
sculpture, unapologetic and brash, with military memorabilia and joke
shop knick-knacks collaged into portraits of historical figures. In his own
words... "It is partly to wrest something from the all-pervading guilt over
colonial misdemeanours and in part to ironize an overly romantic valuation of
the past. The sentiment seems to be in equal measure irony and affection.” Coming off the back
of Brexit, be prepared for this to smart a little. [jerwoodgallery.org]
Contra Jour, Marcus Harvey, 2016 © Marcus Harvey and Vigo Gallery
DATE FOR YOUR DIARY
Mark Charlton
Anna Hymas
Next month MADE Brighton and
the Brighton Art Fair come together
under one roof at the Corn Exchange
for the first time from 23rd – 25th.
We’ve got 10 pairs of private-view
tickets up for grabs. Email hello@
vivamagazines.com with your name and
address with MADE in the subject line
to enter. You can get two tickets for the
price of one by emailing your name and
address to info@tuttonandyoung.co.uk
before Friday the 16th of September.
47

Sunday August 21st 2016
40th International Horse Trials
Dog Festival open to all: Terrier Racing
& Gundog Scurry, Terrier Show, Sussex
Longdogs Lurcher Show & Racing,
KC Companion Dog Show, Fun Agility,
Good Citizen + Meet Rare Dog Breeds
Plus: Have a Go Archery, Craft Fair,
Farmers Market, Food, Bar, Shopping
Viva advert.indd 1
11/07/2016, 17:06
Gate opens 9am -
£15 per car including
all occupants
Firle Place
nr Lewes BN8 6LP
www.firleplaceevent.co.uk

AUGUST listings
ALL MONTH
Bitten by Picasso. The Jerwood Gallery’s
exhibition continues (until October). Hastings
Old Town, Tues-Sun, 11am-5pm.
UNTIL SUN 14
MON 1 – FRI 5
Kiss Me Quickstep. A
new play which goes behind
the curtain in the world of
ballroom dance. Eastbourne
Winter Garden, see
eastbournetheatres.co.uk for
times and prices.
Shakespeare Summer School. Led by noted
local actor Jack Shepherd, at Seaford Little
Theatre. Contact tricia.pape@gmail.com or
07948 715876.
WED 3
Female Sporting Pioneers. Local historian
Andrew Lusted discusses the early history of
organised women’s sports in Sussex. The Keep,
Falmer, 5.15 for 5.30pm, £3, booking essential.
FRI 5 – SUN 7
Lapwing Music Festival. Four solo recitals at
the threatened Cuckmere Haven Coastguard
Cottages. See pg 33.
Music and Beer Festival. Featuring a wide
range of beers, plus live acts every day. The
Sussex Ox, Milton Street (near Alfriston), see
thesussexox.co.uk.
FRI 5
Lewes Food Market 6th Birthday Celebration.
There’ll be food, drink, music, and a hamper
raffle. Market Tower, 9.30am-1.30pm, free.
Joutseno Gospel Choir. Finnish singers on
tour. St Peter’s Church, Chailey, 6pm, £5.
SAT 6
Paws & Claws Bookfair. In aid of charity.
Town Hall, 10am-4pm, 50p.
Woodblock printing workshop. Isfield Village
Hall, 10am-5pm, £75, see blackbirdarts.co.uk.
Think Tank. Dr Tom Crossett leads a discussion
on the aftermath of last December’s Paris
Agreement on climate change. Christ Church,
7.30pm, free.
THURS 4 – SUN 7
Sussex Guild Contemporary Craft Show.
Michelham Priory. See pg 47.
THURS 4
Faces of the Great War. Launch celebration
of Shirley Darlington's book on the unjustly
forgotten Swiss artist Eugène Burnand (1850-
1921), including a talk and book signing. Hop
Gallery, 6pm, free.
Proms in the Paddock. The ever-popular
CSBS fundraiser, this year including a performance
from harmony trio The Evacuettes.
From 3pm, £8 (children £3).
49

Ballroom, Blackpool &
Backstage Dramas!
Gwen Taylor leads the
cast in this stunning
new adaptation of the
classic thriller
29 July – 14 August
Winter Garden, Eastbourne
01323 412000
eastbournetheatres.co.uk
19 AUG – 3 SEP
DEVONSHIRE PARK THEATRE
BOX OFFICE 01323 412000
www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk

AUGUST listings (cont)
Glynde & Beddingham Flower Show & Fête.
Glynde Recreation Ground, 12-4pm, free.
FRI 12 – SAT 13
SUN 7
Military Sabre Workshop. St John’s Church
Hall, 2pm, £25, chrischatfield1595@hotmail.
co.uk
Summer Nights Outdoor Film Festival.
Including two screenings at Sheffield Park: Jack
Clayton’s film The Innocents (above), which
was shot at Sheffield Park (Fri), and Spectre
(Sat). 9pm, £13.
SAT 13 – SUN 14
Summer Fayre and Car Display. In aid of the
Motor Neurone Disease Association. Hooks
Acre, Westmeston, 2-4.30pm, £2.50/£1.
THURS 11
Firle Vintage Fair. Cherry-picked decorative
interiors, fashion, antiques and artisan-makers,
swing bands and Charleston dancing, croquet
and Champagne on the lawn. Vintage shuttle
bus available from Lewes (booking essential).
Firle Park, 10am-5pm, £7 (£5 adv, U10s free).
See firleandcountry.co.uk.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream. A revival of
Peter Hall’s 1981 production of the Benjamin
Britten opera. Also on Aug 13th, 16th, 18th,
23rd, and 26th. See glyndebourne.com for dates
of The Marriage of Figaro, and Béatrice et
Bénédict by Berlioz.
Chestnut Tree House drop-in session.
Find out about the charity’s work. Eastbourne
Library, 10am-1pm, free.
SAT 13
SSBS Coffee Morning. All welcome. Cliffe
Church Hall, 10am-noon, free.
TUES 16
The Story of Hastings in 66 Objects. Hastings
Museum’s exhibition of that title runs till
the end of the year, and on Aug 16th, 18th, 23rd
51

LEWES‛ PREMIER MUSIC VENUE
For details of membership, bands, entry and gig room hire
for parties please see website

AUGUST listings (cont)
and 25th, at 11am and 2pm, storyteller Kevin
Graal will be offering interactive tours. Part of
the Root 1066 Festival. 1066contemporary.com
THURS 18 – SUN 21
Tribal Earth Summer Gathering. Family
event featuring music and dance and meditation
and workshops and more. In aid of a Nepalese
children’s charity. Laughton Lodge, from 12pm
Thurs.
FRI 19 – SUN 21
Anchor Inn Beer Festival. Over 30 real ales, a
hog roast and BBQ, with live music. Anchor Inn,
Ringmer. anchorringmer@gmail.com
FRI 19 – SEPT 3
Night Must Fall. Psychological thriller by
Emlyn Williams. Devonshire Park Theatre,
Eastbourne, 7.45pm (Wed/Sat matinees
2.30pm), £21-£9.
SAT 20 – SUN 21
Firle Place
International
Horse Trials
and Country
Fair. With
horse trials
on both days,
including
dressage and
cross-country,
plus the Firle Dog Festival and a country fair on
the Sunday. Firle Place, gates 9am, £10 a car on
Sat, £15 a car on Sun, see firleplaceevent.co.uk.
SAT 20 – SEPT 4
Artwave. See pg 43.
SAT 20
Alternative Miss Snowdrop. See pg 31.
Julian Warrender book launch. The release of
the local author’s fourth children’s book will be
marked with drop-in reading and workshop sessions.
Also on Sat 27th, Mon 29th and Sept 3rd.
The Hearth, 12.30-2.20pm, free.
Berwick Church Walk.
Approx six miles, stopping
off at the church for
a guided tour of its famous
murals. 'Includes some
steep inclines'. Starts from
Charleston, 10am, £20/£25. charleston.org.uk
THURS 25
Lunchtime Recital. With the soprano Lynn
Deacon. St Anne’s Church, 1.10pm, free (with a
collection afterwards).
FRI 26 - SAT 27
Ouse Valley Quilters' Biennial Exhibition.
The ninth biennial by the Lewes-based group,
in aid of charity. Ringmer Community College,
10am-4pm, £3 (accompanied children free).
FRI 26 – SUN 28
The Plough & Harrow Beer Festival. With
over 50 guest ales, live music, sheep racing,
stalls and games. Litlington, see ploughandharrowlitlington.co.uk.
SAT 30
Barbecue Party. Featuring a gourmet BBQ,
garden games, and a Fruitful Sounds DJ set.
Swan Inn, 5pm (DJ from 9pm).
SUN 31
Operation Jubilee: The Disaster at Dieppe.
Ed Tyhurst gives an illustrated talk on the
unsuccessful Allied attack of Aug 19th, 1942.
Newhaven Fort, 7pm, £6 inc refreshments.
53

GIG GUIDE
GIG OF THE MONTH
There’ll be a concert at the Priory Ruins on Fri 5th, but we
can’t even specify its genre because, at the time of going to
press, the music hasn’t been written yet. That will happen at
a workshop for aspiring teen musos, from Aug 1st-4th, under
the guidance of six professional musicians. We’re told the
resulting work will be site-specific and genre defying, but beyond
that, we can only say that we’re intrigued. (6.30pm, free)
AUG LISTINGS
MON 1
Terry Seabrook Quintet. And all that jazz.
Snowdrop, 8pm, free
TUES 2
English dance tunes session. Bring instruments.
John Harvey Tavern, 8pm, free
Ceilidh Crew Session. Folk. Lamb, 8.30pm, free
THURS 4
Alash Ensemble. Tuvan Overtone Singing.
Lamb, 8.30pm, free
Hot Vintage Swing. Pelham Arms, 8.30pm, free
FRI 5
Straw Dogs. Irish folk. Con Club, details TBA
SAT 6
Summer Soundclash. Reggae dancehall band
night. Con Club, 8pm, suggested donations
£10/£5
Delta Ladies. Americana. 8.30pm, free
John Crampton. Solo blues. Snowdrop, 9pm, free
Folk open night. Bring songs & tunes. Elly, 8pm, £3
SUN 7
English dance tunes session. Lamb, 12pm, free
Duck Soup. Multi-instrumentalist. Con Club,
3pm, free
Open Space Open mic. Music, poetry and performance.
Elly, 7.30pm, free
MON 8
Chris Coull and the Terry Seabrook Trio. Jazz.
Snowdrop, 8pm, free
TUES 9
Open Mic. Lamb, 8.30pm, free
WED 10
Old Time Session. Appalachian roots. Lamb,
8pm, free
FRI 12
The Diablos. Country rock. Lamb, 8.30pm, free
SAT 13
Wilko Johnson. Canvey Island pub rock. De La
Warr Pavilion, 9pm, £22.50
The Contenders. Rhythm & Booze. Lamb,
8.30pm, free
Folk open night. Elly, 8pm, £3
SUN 14
Molly’s Lips. Nirvana-loving songwriting duo.
Lamb, 8.30pm, free
MON 15
Roy Hilton. Piano jazz. Snowdrop, 8pm, free
TUES 16
Ceilidh Crew Session. Folk. Lamb, 8.30pm, free
>>>
55

3RD ANNUAL
Fading Sun
MUSIC WEEKEND
To mark the end of summer
and the start of a glorious Autumn
join us for three days of sumptuous
music. Featuring some great new up
and coming talent and some of
your favourite bands
9TH–11TH SEPTEMBER 2016
FREE ENTRY
Check press and online for line-up details
www.thedorsetlewes.co.uk
The Dorset, 22 Malling Street, Lewes BN7 2RD

GIG GUIDE (CONT)
THURS 18
Fun House. Music. Royal Oak, 8.30pm, free
FRI 19
Idle Talk, Teetotum and Photograms. Three
Brighton bands; two indie one RnB/psych. Con
Club, details tba
SAT 20
Folk open night. Elly, 8pm, £3
The Informers. Blues/funk/rock band. Lamb,
8.30pm, free
MON 22
Jazz at the Snowdrop. Brassy sextet. 8pm, free
TUES 23
Open mic. Lamb, 8.30pm, free
WED 24
The Weather Station. Canadian singer-songwriter.
De La Warr Pavilion, 7.30pm, £10.50
THURS 25
Kangaroo Moon. Psychedelic folk fusion. Lamb,
8.30pm, free
FRI 26
Mike Fullerton and the VSGees. Singer-songwriter.
Con Club, details TBA
Shauna Parker & the Saloon Bar Band. Americana.
Lamb, 8.30pm, free
SAT 27
Bag of Nuts. Rock covers. Snowdrop, 9pm, free
Replica Radio. Royal Oak, 8.30pm, free
Folk open night. Elly, 8pm, £3
MON 29
Abi Flynn and the Terry Seabrook Trio. Jazz
vocals. Snowdrop, 8pm, free
THE PLOUGH & HARROW
BEER FESTIVAL 2016
26–28 AUGUST
OVER 50 GUEST ALES
LIVE
MUSIC ALL
WEEKEND!
SHEEP RACING
TRADITIONAL
VILLAGE STALLS
AND GAMES
PLOUGH & HARROW
THE ST, LITLINGTON
01323 870632
57

UNDER 16
FREETIME êêêê
What’s on
ALL MONTH
THURS 18
Saxons of Sussex. Learn about life before
the Conquest, through storytelling and crafts.
6-10yrs. Barbican House Museum, 10.30am-
12pm, £6 (booking essential).
SAT 20
Summer of 66. Celebrating the Battle of Hastings’
anniversary with a set of 66 things to try
out, including have-a-go archery, tours, and a
new exhibition. There’s also a new natural play
area, developed by William Hardy. Battle Abbey
and Battlefield, see english-heritage.org.uk.
South Street Sports Day and Dog Show. With
a welly shot put competition, drag race, and dog
show categories including Best Sausage Catcher.
Snowdrop Inn, 1.30 for 2pm.
SUN 21
MON 1 – THURS 4
Summer Multi-sport
Camp. Including football,
tennis, cricket and cheerleading.
For ages 5-14.
Also from Aug 8th-11th
and 15th-18th. Lewes FC.
Contact 01273 616460 or
sportscamps@essentialsports.co.uk.
MON 8
Sussex Cricket Foundation Holiday Roadshow.
Fun practice activities for all abilities, ages
7-12. Convent Field, 10am-3pm, £20.
FRI 12
Perseids Meteor Shower Open Evening. The
Observatory Science Centre, Herstmonceux,
8pm-12.30am. the-observatory.org
Roald Dahl and the Imagination Seekers. Interactive
theatre. De La Warr Pavilion, 10.30am,
12.15pm and 2pm, £6/£4.
Firle Dog Festival
and country fair. Part
of the International
Horse Trials event.
Includes races for
various breeds, rare
breeds, and a have-ago
agility challenge.
Plus have-a-go archery (for humans). Firle Place,
gates 9am, £15 per car inc all passengers.

“
The number of Steiner students attending Oxford and Cambridge is well
above the National average. Universities favour Steiner school pupils because
they’re great all-round thinkers and exceedingly good at their own research.
“This school is a beacon of professionalism among UK Steiner schools and the
children who emerge are confident, articulate, international, open-minded and
grounded, lucky them!”
Good Schools Guide
“
Find out for yourself...
Open Morning
Thursday 13th October 2016 - 08:30 - 13:00
www.michaelhall.co.uk
Kidbrooke Park, Priory Road, Forest Row. East Sussex, RH18 5JA
Tel: 01342 822275 - Registered Charity Number 307006
BE
GOOD
AT
BEING
YOURSELF
Singing, dancing and acting
classes for 4 - 18 year olds,
where students learn to
embrace life with creativity
and courage
Find out more today:
stagecoach.co.uk/lewes
lewes@stagecoach.co.uk
01273 504380
07933 726924
Creative Courage For Life
Stagecoach Theatre Arts Schools are operated under franchise and are independently
owned by their Principals. Stagecoach is a registered trademark of Stagecoach Theatre Arts Ltd.

êêêê UNDER 16
SHOES ON NOW: LAKE WOOD
This month we were tasked with getting into the wilderness on the buses,
which is how we found ourselves half way up a rock in the picturesque Lake
Wood on a recent Sunday morning.
Our walk had commenced half an hour earlier at Uckfield Bus Station, from
which we headed off to West Park Nature Reserve, a ten-minute walk away.
The reserve is full of lush trees, mature rhododendrons, boardwalks and several
overgrown paths. Navigating our way through this terrain we climbed
a bank, guided by the sound of traffic. Crossing the bridge over the A26, we
finally found ourselves in Lake Wood.
The wood is home to 400-year-old trees, which form a canopy over much of the land. The lake itself is
shrouded by these trees and bordered by rocks and caves, which the children loved exploring. The boys
clambered upon high promontories overlooking the lake, hid inside the caves and followed paths like
modern-day explorers. Although there is lots of dense shrubbery, the path itself is fairly clear and navigation
is easy as you are essentially walking around a lake.
Lake Wood has lots to offer families with children - fabulous views over the water, caves calling to be
explored and several paths to be romped along with confidence. Add in several species of birds and other
wildlife, easy accessibility from Lewes (we took the #29) and we might just have found our favourite walking
spot this year. Jacky Adams
Summer Fun
at Anne of Cleves & Lewes Castle
Anne of Cleves House Museum, Lewes
Drop In 1-4pm. Included in standard admission
The Princess & the Pea* 26th July & 23rd Aug
Herbs & Scents 2nd Aug
Timber & Tiles 9th Aug
Summer Flowers, Sewing & Painting 16th Aug
Sewing and Stories 30th Aug
Lewes Castle*
Digging for Treasure 28th July & 25th Aug
Archaeologist for an Afternoon 28th July
Knights and Dragons 4th Aug & 1st Sept
Dinosaurs and Dragons 11th Aug
Saxons of Sussex 18th Aug
* Tickets available at Lewes Castle 01273 486290
Booking required at an additional cost to entry.
Explore our website for more details
www.sussexpast.co.uk

A sponsored cycle ride
through stunning
Sussex countryside
103km
66km 32km
SUNDAY
25 SEPTEMBER 2016
Plumpton Racecourse
01903 706354
www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk/sussex100
Like our Chestnut
Tree House page
Registered charity number: 256789
Twitter
#Sussex100
Kindly supported by:

êêêê
UNDER 16
FOREST SCHOOL
Outdoor skills for kids
What happens at Forest School?
We invite groups of children
into the wood to learn a range
of outdoor skills, like how to use
tools, build shelters and light fires,
as well as weaving, storytelling and
other creative games.
What got you interested in
the outdoors? Raising my own
children as a stay-at-home dad,
I learned how positively they
responded to nature, and how instinctive
it was, for me as a parent,
to encourage them to explore outdoors.
What are the benefits of Forest School? There
is a lot of evidence to show that children benefit
in all sorts of ways from outdoor education and
learning though play; it can increase their focus
and attention in class and improve their sense of
wellbeing. It also promotes controlled risk-taking
and developing a positive attitude towards challenges
in life.
Do parents come too? It works
best without parents. A lot of what
we’re doing with the children is
building their self-belief and gaining
confidence in their own skills,
and I believe it’s better that they
do this independently. Part of the
theory behind outdoor learning is
allowing the children to develop
themselves, so we try not to be too
instructive.
Is it based on Steiner education
principles? Yes, it’s based
on child-led education; the role of the adult is to
provide a foundation of creative skills, then stand
back and allow them to develop their curiosity of
the world around them. And we have a lot of fun
while we’re doing it too!
Rebecca Cunningham interviewed Martin Gayford
Summer holiday dates run until July 29th, additional
dates for groups available on request.
07866 587844/bigoakforestschool.co.uk
YOUNG PHOTO
OF THE MONTH
This month’s winner, with this stunning picture of a
ruby-red flower on New Road, is by ten-year-old Sarah
Lamb. “My mum and dad had been playing skittles at the
Grange on Friday [June 24th],” she writes. “On the way
home I saw this one flower that stood out from the rest.
At school (Wallands) I learned composition at photography
club and I thought this was a good example.” It
certainly is, Sarah… and it’s won you the £10 book token
Bags of Books kindly give away to the winner of this
competition. Under 16? Please send your pictures to
photos@vivamagazines.com with your name, age and a
sentence explaining where and why you took it.
63

FOOD
Laporte's
No time to fritter
It’s a sunny day, so I decide to try out lunch at
Laporte’s, having heard they make wonderfully tasty
salads there, and other healthy savouries. They have a
walled garden which I once mistakenly described in a
guide as being ‘shady’, but I have since realised (there must have been a stray cloud) that it is, on the
contrary, something of a sun trap.
There’s a specials board that offers sweet potato and herb ‘fritters’ with salad (£7.95), and I decide that
the fried nature of these will counteract the five-a-day-sorted worthiness of the salad. Rowena goes for
a carrot and saffron tart (same price). I have exactly 36 minutes to order, eat and get to the dentists on
Western Road, and I tell the waitress this, and she says ‘no worries’.
The food arrives in a relative jiffy, and, once it’s been photographed, it’s eaten with great gusto on both
sides of the table. The salad, placed in neat, colour-graded piles on the plate, with a little bowl of Ouse
Valley Foods chutney in the centre, features six or seven elements, from a dhaal to chopped tomatoes
via lettuce, boiled potatoes, mixed beans and beansprouts. The fritters, once I’ve salted them good and
proper, have a pleasant oniony crunch to them, followed by a sweet (potato) aftertaste.
I’d love to linger in said sun with a coffee - Fairtrade, 100% Arabica, natch - and a newspaper (or, given
the state of affairs at the moment, a fine book) so next time I go I’ll allow more time… and I’ll remember
my sunglasses. Alex Leith
Photo by Rowena Easton
www.thesussexox.co.uk
@thesussexox
The Sussex Ox
Milton Street
East Sussex
BN26 5RL
01323 870840
65

66
Photo by Rebecca Cunningham

FOOD
Wild salad
Herbalist Alice Bettany and her twelve-year-old assistant Gracie Chick prepare
a wild lunch at the Wowo campsite, using ingredients foraged from the land
I grew up on the campsite. My family own it, so I
spent a lot of time here when I was younger and I
got to learn a lot about wild food. I’m now a trained
herbalist and I run workshops here in foraging and
wild medicine for adults and kids. Gracie’s family live
at Wowo- although they’re about to go off on a big
adventure - and I’ve been teaching her about wild
food, and now she helps me with running courses for
families. We’ve prepared this salad together.
The main base is the chickweed. Lots of people will
probably know this one, it’s common in creams and
ointments for any redness or inflammation, like psoriasis
or eczema, and it tastes really cool and juicy.
Gracie’s tip: you can tell chickweed apart from other similar-looking
plants because it has a Mohican - tiny hairs
which only grow along one side of the stem.
Next we’re adding some lime tree leaves. They’re not
actually from trees which grow limes, they’re sometimes
called Linden or Tilia. We’d normally only
harvest the leaves in April or May, because by now
the leaves would have gone too tough to eat in a salad,
but we found a little patch of them growing under
another tree which seem to still be replicating youth.
We’re also using something called ‘fat hen’, which
grows in abundance and chickens love it - it’s a
real treat if you bring some back for your hens.
Gracie's tip: you can spot the leaves because they look like
they have fairy dust sprinkled on them!
Then we’re going to add lots of different wild flowers.
We’re using dandelion leaves and petals, but the
leaves are quite bitter so only a few of those. We’ve
taken the petals off the green sepals at the base and
we’re only putting the petals into the salad.
Some of the wild flowers we’re using have that delicious,
mucilaginous quality, which is really soothing
for anything from a sore throat to IBS, for example
the calendula, these are the orange-coloured petals;
daisies, which you can eat whole; mallow, the two
kinds we’re using are musk and common mallow, and
mullein, which are the little yellow flowers. Then we
add nasturtium, which have a sweet, peppery flavour.
Next we’re using Himalayan balsam flowers. Most
people in foraging harvest the seeds. They come out
in September and they have these amazing seedpods
which, as soon as you touch them, pop out and the
seeds go everywhere. If you cup your hands around
the pod before all the seeds pop out you can toast
them over the fire. They taste more nutty than seedy
- they’re a really good wild alternative to pine nuts.
After that we sprinkle in some oxeye daisy petals.
These are the giant daisies which have been covering
the roadside verges recently, although they’re coming
toward the end of their season now. The centre
bit has a very strong, bitter flavour, so we just use the
petals. We’re also adding chicory, honeysuckle and
borage flowers, as well as clover leaves and flowers.
Finally, we’re going to sprinkle over the nettle seeds.
From July to September it’s prime seeding time for
nettles and once they’ve gone to seed it’s best not to
eat the leaves. But the seeds are delicious; the flavour
is like when you toast seeds to sprinkle on a salad.
For a little bit of sweetness, we’re drizzling our salad
with some blackberry vinegar we made earlier. Best
enjoyed outdoors! Interview by Rebecca Cunningham
Alice: sacredseeds.org.uk
Gracie: graciechicksblog.wordpress.com
67

FOOD
The Plough & Harrow
A big lunch in Litlington
“I haven’t been here
for ages” said Mum as
we pulled into the car
park at Friston Forest.
A recent walk along the
South Downs Way took
me straight through it
and I was reminded of
rambling adventures
with our huge troupe of
cousins in the 70s and
80s. It seemed wonderfully
wild back then and
it still does. The perfect
place, in fact, to get lost
for a few hours.
That walk also took
me past the garden wall of one of my Grandpa’s
favourite pubs - the Plough & Harrow in
Litlington - and that’s where we are heading
for lunch. The menu is well done pub classics
like scampi (£11) with more expensive fare like
cutlets of Sussex lamb (£17) - and they’ve got
decent choices for vegetarians too. I’m sure that
Mum will go for ham, egg and chips (£9) but
she plays a wild card and chooses a goat burger
(£13.50). Unable to resist either a pickled onion
or a cheesy pun, I choose a ‘Plough and Harrowman’s’
(£8.50). The ploughman’s is arguably the
acid test of any country pub menu. Strike the
right balance between cheese, bread and chutney
and it’s happy days. Run out of bread too soon, or
- god forbid - cheese, and it’s a travesty.
It’s busy inside and out, buzzing with locals and
walkers, and I enjoy a half of the Long Man
Brewery’s Golden Tipple whilst we wait for our
food. It's brewed so locally that I imagine they’ve
done away with the dray and rolled the barrel
down the road. It’s their first seasonal beer,
made with locally grown Tipple barley, and it’s
hoppy, refreshing
and goes wonderfully
well with the
mild but magnificent
chunk of Ribbleswell
goats cheese that I’ve
selected from the ten
(!) options.
The Plough & Harrowman’s
is huge.
To accompany the
cheese there’s ample
bread, a proper helping
of mixed leaves,
chutney, a pickled
onion and a whole
dill pickle. Jackpot.
This being a trip down memory lane, I apply a
generous squirt of Heinz salad cream which adds
a certain nostalgia to the plate. Grandpa would
have done the same. The cheese just outlasts the
bread (bravo!) leaving enough to allow the dogs
a morsel each. A meal, then, for the plough and
harrowman and his dog too.
Across the table, Mum’s goat burger is a high
rise poppy seeded affair, with a superbly moist
meat patty topped with grilled Moroccan spiced
cheese that looks like an exotic Welsh rarebit.
It certainly looks and smells fantastic (I’m not
a goat eater myself) and she reports that it
tastes every bit as good. It comes with crispy,
fat, golden chips that are, again, given the salad
cream treatment.
It’s a very happy trip down memory lane, and
one of those places that I might be inclined to
keep quiet about if the secret weren’t so clearly
already out. So come by car, come on foot, bring
tribes of kids and bring the dog too… but come
hungry. Lizzie Lower
ploughandharrowlitlington.co.uk
Photo by Lizzie Lower
69

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artisan ethos…
The methods of farming have been passed down
through the generations for centuries’; this is why our
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Prior to relocating to the UK, in 2008, we ran our
family business in Sardinia, gathering many years’
experience, overseen by our beloved late Father.
Antonello is a professional chef, so he’s great at
recommending ingredients for a delicious meal, or
menu with our trade clientele. Salvatore works on a
daily basis, “hands on” with our farmers and
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We carry a wide range of Italian fine foods and wine
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Some of our other popular items include: organic
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Additionally, we have a lovely range of organic “cooking
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Unit 2, Bridge Industrial Estate, New Road, Newhaven, BN9 0ES, (alongside Screwfix, ample parking)
Tel. 01273 512260 | Follow us on social media

FOOD
Edible Updates
August! It’s sure to be hot and dry enough to enjoy an ice lolly or
four. Maybe two from Chloe Edwards of Seven Sisters Spices,
who will be peddling her Paletas Mexicanas-inspired ice lollies with
whole fruit inside. Followed by another two from Maddy Jones’
start-up The Handmade Lolly Co, who will be touting handcrafted
fruit ices plus cheeky Pimm's and Elderflower Gin versions.
A big 'Hiya!' to Hannah’s Van, a nifty mobile barista bar manned
by Hannah Pilfold, who will be serving up artisan coffee to all the layabouts hanging around parks
who need caffeine, not ice cream. A warm welcome to Tony and Sue as well, who have taken over The
King’s Head in Southover and have a smart refurb underway. A new direction too for The Hearth who
will be adding homemade pasta to their repertoire and from the 10th will open Weds-Fri for lunches
inspired by the Italian tradition of ‘companatico’ (food eaten with bread).
On the festival front, head to The Sussex Ox for their music and beer festival from the 5th to the 7th
and claim a free drink with your Viva voucher (page 65). From the 19th-21st, The Anchor in Ringmer
are hosting a beer festival, complete with 30 ales, a hog roast, a BBQ and music. On Sunday the 14th,
Laughton Village Fête is not to be missed, with dog show, tug ‘o’ war, pony rides, produce show,
horticultural and children’s classes. It's worth heading to The Roebuck Inn on the 28th too, for their
Sun-sational Sizzler barbecue plus Pimm's and prosecco tent. If that ain’t enough, on the 20th The
Swan will be hosting another of their fantastic twilight barbecues with music from Fruitful Sounds.
Chloë King Send your food news to to chloe@vivamagazines.com
Illustration by Chloë King
71

The Pelham arms
HigH St • LeweS
A Great British pub, a warm welcome,
wonderful food & ambience
WE ARE SMOKING!
Come and try some of the amazing
new treats that we have been
producing from our newly installed
SMOKE HOUSE!
We are now producing our own
smoked salt beef, pork belly’s, turkey
breast, chicken wings plus lots more!
VINTAGE HOT SWING!
FIRST THuRSdAy OF THE MONTH
Come shake your pants to some
amazing Gypsy Swing!
OpENING HOuRS
Monday
Bar 4pm to 11pm
Tuesday to Saturday
Bar Noon to 11pm
Food Noon to 2.30pm & 6 to 9.30pm
Sunday
Bar Noon to 10.30pm
Food Noon to 8pm
GET IN TOucH!
T 01273 476149 E manager@thepelhamarms.co.uk
@PelhamArmsLewes pelhamarmslewes
Book online @ www.thepelhamarms.co.uk

WE TRY...
Skinning a rabbit
... then butchering and eating it too
I’m in a field in a secret location
about five miles from
Lewes, looking at the inside
of my rabbit. “I’ve gutted it,
but I’ve left the kidneys in
for a reason,” says Nick, the
boss of Hunter Gather Cook,
and our host for the day. “I’ve
never seen a skinned cat, but
apparently they don’t look
very different from skinned
rabbits, and people have been
known to try to pass them
off as such. But look at your
rabbit’s kidneys, and you’ll
see one is higher up the body
than the other. A cat’s kidneys
sit next to one another. Apparently.”
Nick started Hunter Gather
Cook as a blog, and it’s turned
into a business. Along with
three colleagues he invites
punters to his camp in the
woods - formed of a two-storey wooden structure
with a kitchen downstairs and an eating space up, a
clay oven, a fire pit and a big table under a tarpaulin,
where I find myself, along with fifteen other people.
I’m just here in order to learn how to skin a rabbit;
the others are in it for the full day, and they will be
taught, among other things, how to smoke mackerel,
foraging skills and fire-making tips. They will also
be fed two meals, partially made up of food gathered
in the day.
Nick’s MO is to show us the method, in stages, and
then give us the requisite tools to replicate what he’s
done. Stage one is getting rid of the extremities, and
so I find myself, having cut off the animal’s tail with a
knife, chopping off its legs and head with a machete.
This isn’t as dramatic as it
sounds: the method involves
placing the machete on the
part of the rabbit in question,
and hitting the blunt
edge with the back end of
an axe. When you know
what you’re doing, it is remarkably
easy to decapitate
a small mammal.
I’ve been slightly dreading
the skinning process all
week, but once my animal
has lost its face, my squeamishness
diminishes. That
process, ably taught by
Nick, involves getting your
thumb between the pelt and
the membrane underneath
and pulling them apart.
The first object is to create
a ‘rabbit handbag’ by drawing
the skin either side of
the ribcage above the spine,
and then to pull out the back legs (involving a quick
bit of knife-work around the anus) and finally, with
quite a bit of effort, the front legs. Hey presto, the
rabbit really looks like food.
I hadn’t realised we would then be taught to butcher
the animal, but within minutes, having cut off the
back legs, I’m slicing off surprisingly ample fillets.
Then, incidentally, wrapping them in Parma ham
I’ve smeared with Dijon mustard, which is going to
constitute part of lunch, to be cooked by Nick’s colleagues
after a spell of wild salad foraging. I decide
to stay long enough to be able to report that my rabbit
- I opted early on not to give it a name - is the
best I’ve ever tasted. Alex Leith
huntergathercook.com
Photos by Alex Leith
73

THE WAY WE WORK
This month we sent photographer Cammie Toloui into the wild to
photograph some of the South Downs National Park
Rangers at work in France Bottom, above Alfriston.
She asked them: ‘what’s the wildest place you’ve ever been?’
cammietoloui.com
Alan Jones, Volunteer Ranger (formerly a teacher at Lewes Priory)
“White-water rafting in Nepal.”

THE WAY WE WORK
Fay Pattinson, Ranger (with Peggy)
“India. Probably Agra. All the cities are quite crazy.”

䌀
吀 栀 攀
唀 䈀 䔀
䜀 䄀 䰀 䰀 䔀 刀 夀
䔀 堀 䌀 䔀 䰀 䰀 䔀 一 䌀 䔀 ☀
䤀 一 一 伀 嘀 䄀 吀 䤀 伀 一
䤀 一 䄀 刀 吀
匀 漀 甀 琀 栀 䐀 漀 眀 渀 猀 一 甀 爀 猀 攀 爀 椀 攀 猀
䄀 ㈀ 㜀 アパート 䈀 爀 椀 最 栀 琀 漀 渀 刀 漀 愀 搀 Ⰰ 䠀 愀 猀 猀 漀 挀 欀 猀 Ⰰ 圀 攀 猀 琀 匀 甀 猀 猀 攀 砀
䈀 一 㘀 㤀 䰀 夀 ㈀ 㜀 アパート 㠀 㐀 㜀 㜀 㜀
眀 眀 眀 ⸀ 猀 漀 甀 琀 栀 搀 漀 眀 渀 猀 栀 攀 爀 椀 琀 愀 最 攀 挀 攀 渀 琀 爀 攀 ⸀ 挀 漀 ⸀ 甀 欀

THE WAY WE WORK
Ian Wildridge, Volunteer Ranger (former chartered accountant)
“Skagway, Alaska.”

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THE WAY WE WORK
Michael Haizelden, Volunteer Ranger (former railway worker)
“I’ve never been anywhere particularly wild but the most magical was chasing Exmoor
ponies onto their new grazing on the snow-covered Downs in the moonlight.”

52 Cliffe High St, Lewes . 01273 471893
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THE WAY WE WORK
Tim Squire, Assistant Ranger
“The Costa Rican jungle. You always felt there was a jaguar watching you…”

THE WAY WE WORK
Richard Bosworth, Volunteer Ranger (former railway signal engineer)
“I’ve been on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. That’s pretty breezy.”

Lewes Town & Country
Residential Sales & Lettings
Land & New Homes
T 01273 487444
E lewes@oakleyproperty.com
Property of the Month Plumpton - £725,000
NEW
INSTRUCTION
Truly unique detached home with uninterrupted views of The South Downs situated within the boundary of the National Park. Located in
the sought after village of Plumpton this beautifully presented cottage offers a 22ft Living Room with wood burning stove and French doors
opening out on to stunning landscaped gardens. The rear gardens are simply beautiful set across several levels with an idyllic outlook and
direct access to footpaths. The gardens must be viewed to be appreciated.
Lewes From £875,000
A selection of substantial 2,3 & 4 bedroom contemporary homes
on the River Ouse with a range of balconies, large roof terraces,
double garages and parking. All properties are fitted with luxury
bathrooms and state of the art "Alno" kitchens. 10year NHBC new
homes guarantee. 55% sold, viewings now available.
Lewes £325,000
Impressive 3 bedroom first floor apartment located in the heart of
Lewes, on the High Street. Well presented throughout with tall sash
windows providing a lovely outlook across the high street towards
the war memorial. There are many character features alongside a
stylish kitchen and bathroom.
NEW
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Ringmer £279,950
Charming 2 bed bungalow located in a quiet cul-de-sac in the
popular village of Ringmer just outside Lewes. Recently refurbished
throughout including a luxury bathroom & contemporary kitchen.
The property offers 2 bedrooms, a good sized living room, excellent
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Lewes From £255,000
A selection of 1 & 2 bedroom luxury apartments and stunning glass
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oakleyproperty.com

Amanda Saurin
Founder, AS Apothecary
Here at our Plumpton site we’ve got the
garden for growing and the workshop for
distilling. On half an acre we grow 200 roses, 150
lavenders, calendula, hypericum, all sorts. We’ve
also got 80 acres of organic farm on our doorstep
so we can wild forage for plants, knowing that
they’re untouched by chemicals.
It’s all about picking the plants at just the right
moment and then deciding how to get the best
out of each one. We might use them for essential
oils, aromatic waters or steep them in oil. Because
we’re a truly small-batch company we can employ
techniques, like enfleurage, that are largely forgotten
about by commercial distillers but that produce
the most amazing scents.
We use a copper alembic for distilling - the
copper reacts with the plant material to produce
a sweet oil - and we’ll run it for hours and
hours. The first lot of oil and floral water is very
bright-smelling, with top notes and volatiles, but
other, much more interesting scents come later. A
commercial distiller wants as much oil as possible
in the shortest amount of time, so they’ll use huge
vats packed with petals, forcing steam through
them at high pressure for 30 or 40 minutes.
The slower the process, the more therapeutics
come across. German chamomile produces a blue
86

MY SPACE
Photos by Lizzie Lower
essential oil and usually, in shop-bought oils, you
find the oil is pale blue. Ours is as dark as ink and has
more concentrated anti-inflammatory properties. It’s
proper, proper alchemy. You put white flowers in and
you get dark blue oil out.
I go to Cyprus once a year to pick and distill
orange blossom, geranium and pink pepper,
bringing back the oils in my luggage. I also go to
the Isle of Harris for meadowsweet, lady’s bedstraw,
honeysuckle and a very special sort of thyme. It’s wild
and beautiful there with the whitest sand beaches and
the clearest waters. We get our seaweed - sugar kelp -
from there. It’s super clean.
I’m hoping to take over a shop in Lewes very
soon, and then we’ll move product preparation and
some of the workshops there. We run perfume-making
days, an introduction to distilling and recently a
longer course ‘from seed to scent’ where people could
create balms and soaps from plants they’d grown.
I love the freedom of being a small business
and working on collaborations. I make soaps
from the lovely teas at VRAC and products for
Glyndebourne with plants from their gardens. I’ll
go picking in the morning, before the performance,
when there’s invariably a rehearsal taking
place. It’s like my own opera, just for me, whilst I’m
picking the roses. I don’t think it gets much better
than that.
As told to Lizzie Lower
asapoth.com
87

Because every life is unique
…we are here to help you make your
farewell as personal and individual as possible,
and to support you in every way we can.
Inc. Cooper & Son
42 High Street, Lewes
01273 475 557
Also at: Uckfield • Seaford • Cross in Hand
www.cpjfield.co.uk

TRADE SECRETS
So Sussex
Nigel Greenwood, founding director
Photo by Lizzie Lower
My wife and I established So Sussex about
eight years ago. We both left our careers, in the
corporate and social work sectors, to set up an organisation
that would encourage people to spend
more time outside, learning something new and
developing an appreciation for the natural environment
in Sussex. There’s a whole generation
who haven’t had the same opportunities that we
had to discover and enjoy nature.
I’ve always been an outdoors person and my
wife is Swedish and grew up with easy access to
the natural world around her. We’ve travelled
a lot, and the best experiences are always when
you’re taken off the beaten track and under the
skin of the place you’re in. That’s how So Sussex
began - searching for an expression of that.
We dipped our toes into mountain biking,
mushroom walks, fishing trips, trying to work
out what works and what doesn’t. Elderflower
Fields Festival is the culmination of all that we’ve
learnt so far. One thing that England does well
is festivals, so Elderflower was the perfect way to
provide families with an opportunity to spend
quality time outdoors together.
Most festivals book big bands and then add
on a few family and kids' activities around the
music, but we did it the other way around. We
designed our festival specifically to engage kids
- giving them more than 50 activities to choose
from - then we developed things for the parents
to enjoy whilst the kids are off trying new things
in a wonderful wild part of the Ashdown Forest.
Elderflower is now one of our most established
projects - and we’re already well on the
way to selling out again for 2017 - but we’ve got
other events on the go too. We’re running Into
the Trees for the second time, a two-day event,
expanding on the environmental themes of
Elderflower. There are different areas to explore;
Wildlife in the Trees, Playing in the Trees,
Working in the Trees, Art in the Trees, Living
in the Trees and Surviving in the Trees. We are
particularly excited about the environmental art
trail created in partnership with local artists that
visitors can add to.
We’re also developing our Schools Without
Walls scheme; a programme to get outdoor
education incorporated into the timetable as a
regular feature in local schools. There’s no doubt
that being outside builds confidence, and kids
that don’t necessarily do so well in the classroom
can really come to the fore. Your brain works
differently outside.
I’m also working on a project together with
the South Downs National Park Authority to
develop a park-wide bike-hire scheme. It will
join up the thinking of a number of small businesses
that enable people to enjoy the National
Park by bike. As told to Lizzie Lower
sosussex.co.uk
into-the-trees.co.uk Sat 3rd & Sun 4th September,
Pippingford Park, TN22 3HW
89

Meet Our Team
REBECCA KEIGHLEY
Trainee Solicitor
Rebecca moved from Lancashire to work with
us & joined our team in January 2015 as our
Office Organiser. She became a Trainee Solicitor
in October last year. She is devoted to
helping people which makes her a perfect
trainee in terms of being great with our clients
& a brilliant team player!
Rebecca has a photographic memory and a
real attention to detail. She is the most crazy &
the most enthusiastic member of the team & is
always armed with a thousand questions!
Rebecca works with Andy on our quotes so is
one of the first people you will get to speak to.
In her spare time she is studying at Law School,
enjoys keeping fit playing netball and coaching
the Lewes Junior netball team.
Our clients say
Thank you Rebecca and the team for your
patience, tenacity and diligence. It has been a
pleasure to work with such a lovely team!
rebecca@morgan-kelly.co.uk
Local, specialist,
quality & affordable
solicitors
www.morgan-kelly.co.uk
Castle Works
Westgate Street
Lewes
BN7 1YR
01273 407 970

FEATURE: WILDLIFE
Illustration by Mark Greco
Grass Snake
Snakes on a flood plain
'Go wild in the country, where snakes in the grass
are absolutely free.' I can still remember Annabella
Lwin, of new-wave pop group Bow Wow Wow,
singing those words on Top of the Pops back in
1982. Next morning her hypnotic good looks were
the talk of the playground but it was that chorus
that stuck with me; a clarion call for early eighties
urbanites to get out into the wild.
Annabella was ecologically correct too. There
are indeed free snakes out there; a fact that still
thrills me each time I encounter one slithering
through Sussex. As a child I thought snakes were
exotic creatures which hung off African jungle
branches in Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan movies
to convey a vague sense of something sinister.
But there's nothing sinister about the grass snake;
the commonest of Britain’s three native snake
species. Mesmerising eyes, gorgeous sleek scales
of olive-green and a series of stripes along their
flanks. For a cold-blooded reptile they sure look
hot. A key identification feature is that yellow
collar encircling the back of their head. Grass
snakes have been rather short-changed when
it comes to their name; they’re much better at
swimming than they are at sitting in the grass
(a bit like Johnny Weissmuller, who performed
better in the water than he did on dry land).
You’ll find grass snakes gliding through the wet
ditches and dykes alongside the Ouse or even in
your garden pond as they hunt for their favourite
food: frogs and toads.
These amphibious feasts really pile on the
pounds so when their snakeskin suits become too
tight they slip their skin to reveal a larger shiny
set of scales underneath. They undertake several
costume changes each year and can grow to an
impressive size. Two to three foot is typical for
an adult grass snake but there are rumours of sixfoot-long
monsters out there. Of course they’re
nothing to be scared of. If threatened they
either pretend to be dead, hiss a lot or “release
a pungent, foul-smelling substance from their
anal gland”. Coincidentally I've used two of these
defence strategies myself in the past.
In July the female grass snake excavates a
chamber in a mound of decaying vegetation - a
compost heap is perfect. Inside she lays 5-20
leathery eggs and the heap’s heat and humidity
cook them to perfection. Set your egg timer for
ten weeks and you’ll return to find pencil-sized
snakes emerging into the world.
I guess not everyone followed Bow Wow Wow’s
advice back in 1982 because when leading my
wildlife walks I’m always amazed at how many
adults have never seen a snake in Britain. But it’s
never too late to go wild in the country.
Michael Blencowe, Sussex Wildlife Trust
Illustration by Mark Greco
91

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COLUMN
Lewes Out Loud
Plenty more Henty
As I’ve mentioned
before, three years
ago in the Convent
Field I marvelled at
the massed Mumfords
and vocalised
along with The Vaccines.
Last month,
Christine and The
Queens mesmerized
me at Glastonbury
and then I boogied
the night away accompanying
Earth, Wind and Fire on air guitar!
At this point I must admit, however, that both experiences
were not subject to mud, wind and mire.
I attended the ‘Vampire Weekend’ in sunshine
but - for Glastonbury, I lounged on a sofa at home,
with copious cups of tea and reassuring amenities
to hand.
As I told Georgia, who works part-time in Cook,
I’ve reached a point in my life where I value the
good vibes but still need to retain my creature
comforts. She was working at Glastonbury, she told
me, but staff were provided with showers and basic
accommodation.
It’s amazing how much we take water, warmth and
well-being for granted these days, isn’t it? I thought
of this recently on a visit to the Priest House, North
Lane, West Hoathly. This 15th-century Wealden
Hall House is owned by the Sussex Archaeological
Society and I was welcomed by Antony who has
been the resident custodian for over 25 years.
As I discovered, it is furnished with 17th and 18thcentury
furniture and domestic objects and would
have originally been lit by rushlights. Antony explained
that in the early 17th century many people
could not afford beeswax or tallow candles, and,
for them, a rushlight made from a rush dipped in
grease, or a burning splinter of wood, was a cheap
alternative.
A good rush which
might be up to 30
inches long could
burn for over an
hour, making rushlights
an extremely
economical form of
lighting. With their
unique stands, they
came in all different
shapes and sizes, as
you can see quite
clearly in our photograph above.
The house is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10.30am
to 5.30pm and on Sundays between 12 noon and
5.30pm. Fascinating place, and lunch was taken in
the nearby Cat Inn, which does have electricity,
ample parking and excellent food.
The journey by car from Lewes only took 40
minutes or so, through delightful countryside and,
for once, motoring was a pleasure which cannot be
said, sadly, of our own county town right now.
What with ‘Pothole Passage’ (Southover Road),
Station Street subsidence and dotty diversion signs
everywhere, Lewes has unfortunately realised a
recipe for routine road rage incidents.
In South Street, Tony, who is chair of Pinwell
Road residents’ association, told me of broken
wing mirrors caused by unofficial diversionary
tactics. Outside the Needlemakers one lunchtime,
a peacemaker would have been more welcome as
we witnessed, from a safe distance, a two-vehicle
altercation which ended with an ugly punch-up and
eventual police intervention.
Our journalist friends from Down Under were
surprised by this mindless violence, as we were.
Indeed, it was certainly not the sort of image of
our great town we wanted them to take back to
Australia. John Henty
93

FOOTBALL
Darren Freeman
Different league, familiar faces
Not many teams get
relegated after losing
only four games
in four months. But
not many teams stay
up when they have
only seven points
from the first half of
the season.
Darren Freeman
wasn’t able to
perform the miracle
turnaround Lewes
FC needed after
his appointment
in mid-October, but the former Brighton & Hove
Albion striker oversaw such an improvement in
performances that the board had no hesitation in
offering him a contract to lead the fight back to the
Ryman Premier this season.
Freeman quickly surrounded himself with “players
I could trust” in the second half of last season, and
the vast majority of the squad has stayed loyal to the
manager, despite the relegation. Freeman admits it
was a struggle to lift the mood in the dressing room
last term, with the club double-figures away from
safety. “At times, we were a little bit disgusted with
results,” he confesses. “But the players gave Lewes
and myself everything.”
Freeman has added several new faces over the summer,
adding a little more experience to the young
squad retained from last season, and he claims they
have lifted the mood immediately. “The dressing
room is completely different this year,” he says.
“There’s a lot of young lads in there with a couple
of older heads, and the banter has been fantastic. It’s
a lot more buoyant, maybe because it’s a clean slate.
We have to build our own destiny.”
That destiny, ultimately,
isn’t just back to the
Ryman Premier, but a
stage further. “Lewes
are a Conference South
club and I’m an ambitious
manager, and I
want to bring in players
who share that ambition,”
he claims.
He’s certainly signalled
his intent with the
summer signings.
Despite Worthing taking
Lewes’ place in the
Ryman Premier, Freeman has managed to convince
the West Sussex side's top scorer, Lloyd Dawes, to
head East, where he’ll be hoping to match the 29
goals he scored for the Rebels last season. “Lloyd
Dawes is a goalscorer and we’ve done marvellous
to get him from Worthing,” says Freeman, who
used some of the club’s 12th Man Fund to secure
the striker.
Joining Dawes is winger Josh Jones, who played
under Freeman at Whitehawk and scored a tremendous
goal in the Rooks’ first pre-season game
versus Worthing. “Josh will be a fans’ favourite,”
says Freeman. “He’s very exciting on the ball and
he’s someone who has won league titles and can
help the youngsters come along.”
Those youngsters include midfielders James Hammond
and Charlie Coppola, both talents who will
have a “big season”, according to Freeman. After
the struggles of recent years, a “big season” would
be quite the tonic… Barry Collins
Ryman League home games in August:
Lewes v Walton Casuals (Wed 17th, 7.45pm)
Lewes v Chatham Town (Sat 27th, 3pm)
Photo by James Boyes
95

WHEN WE PULL
YOUR HOME TO PIECES YOU’D
BETTER TRUST US TO KNOW
WHAT WE’RE DOING.
And we do.
Our business is built on trust. When you choose Nutshell to renovate,
rebuild or restore your beautiful home, you should have absolute
confidence in us. And it’s a two way street.
We like to work for people with whom we can have an intelligent dialogue
and with whom we can discuss the decisions that crop up along the way.
It’s surprising how much more smoothly things go when you build relationships.
This has been our mantra from the very beginning and over the years our many
clients have become good friends. It’s made for more efficient, smoother running
projects and great outcomes.
Call us and start building a relationship today.
Tel: 01903 217900
info@nutshellconstruction.com
www.nutshellconstruction.com

BRICKS AND MORTAR
Tin Tab
Fit for a Grand Design
I’m cycling up the
Offham Road on
my way to the Tin
Tabernacle, just
outside Barcombe,
when I pass a
familiar figure
walking the other
way. It’s my old
friend Matt Haycocks,
who owned
the building for
some years in the
nineties.
I’m due to be shown round the place by a representative
of Oakley Property, who are handling
its sale, and its owner Louise Anderson, who
bought the building, with her late husband
David, in 2001. For years it’s been a community
space, used for all sorts of purposes from weddings
to film screenings to music events. Now it
is being sold, with the idea of someone converting
it into a luxury home. A Grand Designs-type
project, in effect.
Matt was a carpenter and used the corrugated
iron-clad building as a workshop. Now he’s a
university lecturer specialising in architecture,
and, though he’s in a hurry, he gives me the
lowdown on tin tabs in general, and this one in
particular.
There were scores of such buildings mass produced
by various companies from the mid 1800s,
it seems. They were pre-fabricated, and sent
around the world: it was possible to choose from
various different styles. This one was produced
by W Cooper in the Old Kent Road, and delivered
and built around 1885. Such churches were
often put up as temporary structures after large
population movements to rural areas - they were
sold as far afield as Australia. The idea was to
build a more permanent structure in the future,
though many still
remain standing:
there are scores of
them all over the
country. In this case
it is more likely that
the church was built
for nonconformists
- I later find it listed
as a ‘Non denominational
Protestant
Dissenters Mission
House’.
When I get there it
turns out Louise is unwell but she has delegated
Hermione, who has been running a business
from the Tin Tab, to show me round. Also
present is Carolyn, from Oakley, to let me know
what’s likely to become of the building. Many
of you will know what the place is like: there’s
a Tardis-like effect as you enter what seems to
be not much bigger than a greenhouse and find
yourself in something more like a village hall. A
lovely space, with a real sense of history. It’s set
in a little plot of land: there are two outhouses
(one a rather large studio, the other a little
wooden hut) and a fire pit. I marvel that I’ve
never before been to an event there.
Too late now. The last happening has already
happened, and offers on the place will long have
been closed when this mag comes out, explains
Carolyn. The guide price for the place was
between £350-450,000 and a number of people
are interested. Planning permission has been
granted for a redesign incorporating the current
structures: with a bit of imagination, a fair bit of
investment, and a lot of hard work, it could be
turned into a dream home worth between 850k
and a million pounds. That sounds more like
platinum than tin.
Alex Leith
97

BUSINESS NEWS
LEWES DISTRICT BUSINESS AWARDS 2016
The winners of the 2016 Lewes District
Business Awards were announced at
a glittering awards ceremony at Lewes
Town Hall last month. Cheesmur Building
Contractors were the big winners of
the evening, scooping two awards - Company
of the Year and Business Growth.
Other winners included Cheese Please,
named Best Independent Retailer, Front
Room, who took the prize for Hospitality,
Leisure and Tourism and Wave Leisure
Trust, who were named Best Employer.
Richard Soan of Richard Soan Roofing
Services is the newly-crowned Business
Person of the Year; Ringmer Community
College won the Green Business
award; and Boom Boom the Label, the
2016 Small Business of the Year.
Councillor Andy Smith, Leader of Lewes
District Council, said: "Congratulations
to all our winners and finalists - it was
fantastic to celebrate so many of our great
local businesses. The Lewes District Business
Awards demonstrate the breadth and
scope of businesses in the District."
We’d like to add our sincerest congratulations
to all the winners and finalists in the
2016 awards, all of whom are listed over
the page. We’re already looking forward
to 2017. The categories will be announced
early next year but it’s never too early to
start thinking about entering - or sponsoring
- an award and adding your name
to the list.
98

COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Winner: Cheesmur Building Contractors
Finalists: Burleys, Cleankill Environmental
Services
BEST EMPLOYER
Winner: Wave Leisure Trust Ltd
Finalists: Caburn Hope, Industrial Construction
Sussex
SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Winner: Boom Boom the Label
Finalists: Front Room, Plants4Presents
BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR
Winner: Richard Soan, Richard Soan Roofing
Services
Finalists: Richard Light (Fundraising Auctions),
Victoria Young (Front Room)
BUSINESS GROWTH
Winner: Cheesmur Building Contractors
Finalists: Fundraising Auctions, Industrial
Construction Sussex
GREEN BUSINESS
Winner: Ringmer Community College and
Sixth Form
Finalists: Burleys, Cleankill Environmental
Services Ltd
BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE
Winner: Community Transport for
the Lewes Area
Finalists: Budding Sensations, The
Charleston Trust
BEST INDEPENDENT RETAILER
Winner: Cheese Please
Finalists: Chalk Gallery, WE Clark & Son Ltd
HOSPITALITY,
LEISURE AND
TOURISM
Winner: Front Room
Finalists: Lewes
Castle & Barbican
House Museum, Pells
Pool Community Association
ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
Winner: Tracey Horan, Dolly Fixtures
Finalists: Jennie Hallett (Beacon Health &
Safety Services Ltd), Natalie James (Stitch of
Broad Street), Phil Rawson (Created and Made),
Liz Rose (Elizabeth Rose)
BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY
Winner: Burleys
Finalists: Pells Pool Community Association,
Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare
lewesdistrictbusinessawards.co.uk
99

Choosing the right law firm can
make all the difference
Our services include...
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SOLICITORS
Lewes 01273 480234
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Directory Spotlight:
Annie Kerr, walking workshops
Tell me about your work.
I offer two guided activities
involving walking in Sussex. I
facilitate whole day 'Walk with
your Sketchbook' workshops,
sketching or writing in stunning
locations and taking time
to really look at and respond
to the landscape. I also lead
half-day walks.
Who are your clients? People who need a
dose of the countryside, want to blow away the
cobwebs and let me do the navigating. Workshop
clients are often people who feel they ‘can’t’ write
or draw. Others might draw or write a lot and
want like-minded company, new ideas and inspiration
from working outdoors. All are welcome to
come and try something new.
What do people need to bring? Sensible
footwear for both activity walks and pens and a
Photo by Lucy Le Brocq
sketchbook to the ‘Walk with
your Sketchbook’ workshops.
I encourage people to bring
only light kit.
Where do you walk? On
the Downs and coast. All are
accessible by public transport.
Walk grading varies, but I
try to accommodate different
levels of fitness.
What’s your favourite walk? Friston Pond to
Crowlink and the Seven Sisters.
How many in a group? 20 on walks. Supervised
children over eight welcome. Assistance dogs
only. Five to twelve adults on workshops.
August workshops: Wed 17th, Wild and unexpected
locations for sketchers and scribblers near
Devil's Dyke. Sat 27th, Let the River Cuckmere
run through your words and images. 10.30-4pm,
£45. Also various walks, £5, see anniekerr.co.uk
101

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the quality of any work undertaken, and accept no responsibility or liability for any issues arising.
To advertise in Viva Lewes please call 01273 434567 or email advertising@vivalewes.com

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103

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CP Viva Lewes Ad (Qtr Pg)_62 x 94mm 18/02/2011 17:
Colin Poulter
Plastering
Professional Plasterer
Over 25 years experience
All types of plastering work
and finishes undertaken
FREE estimates
Telephone 01273 472 836
Mobile 07974 752 491
Email cdpoulter@btinternet.com

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105

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HOME
Project1/NEWSIZE_Layout 1 18/01/2012 14:59 Page 1
Jack Plane Carpenter
Nice work, fair price,
totally reliable.
www.jackplanecarpentry.co.uk
01273 483339 / 07887 993396
GARDENS
Handyman Services for your House and Garden
Lewes based. Free quotes.
Honest, reliable, friendly service.
Reasonable rates
Tel: 07460 828240
Email: ahbservices@outlook.com
B ad.indd 1 27/07/2015 17:46
䨀 䰀 刀 䔀 䰀 䔀 䌀 吀 刀 䤀 䌀 匀 愀 渀 搀 倀 䰀 䄀 匀 吀 䔀 刀 䤀 一 䜀
䰀 攀 眀 攀 猀 ⴀ 戀 愀 猀 攀 搀 䘀 攀 洀 愀 氀 攀 猀 瀀 攀 挀 椀 愀 氀 椀 猀 琀
椀 渀 瀀 氀 愀 猀 琀 攀 爀 椀 渀 最 愀 渀 搀 攀 氀 攀 挀 琀 爀 椀 挀 猀
倀 氀 攀 愀 猀 攀 挀 愀 氀 氀 䨀 愀 礀 漀 渀 㜀 㤀 㜀 㠀 㔀 㔀 㔀 アパート 㠀
come & see us at
the farmers’
market
to lewes and
surrounding areas
info@fromthewood.com www.fromthewood.com
107

GARDENS
HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Global
Gardens
Design,
Restoration &
Landscaping
Mobile 07941 057337
Phone 01273 488261
12 Priory Street, Lewes, BN7 1HH
info@ globalgardens.co.uk
www.globalgardens.co.uk
alitura
landscape and garden design
01273 401581/ 07900 416679
GS1.001_QuarterPage_Ad_01.indd 1 12/11/10 18:24:51
design@alitura.co.uk
www.alitura.co.uk
Services include
- Garden Design & Project Monitoring
- Redesign of Existing Beds & Borders
- Plant Sourcing
Call us for a free consultation

HEALTH & WELL BEING

䈀 攀 椀 渀 猀 瀀 椀 爀 攀 搀 戀 礀 渀 愀 琀 甀 爀 攀
䌀 爀 攀 愀 愀 瘀 攀 眀 漀 爀 欀 猀 栀 漀 瀀 猀 攀 猀 猀 椀 漀 渀 猀 椀 渀 琀 栀 攀 匀 甀 猀 猀 攀 砀
挀 漀 甀 渀 琀 爀 礀 猀 椀 搀 攀 琀 栀 椀 猀 匀 甀 洀 洀 攀 爀
䘀 甀 氀 氀 愀 渀 搀 栀 愀 氀 昀 搀 愀 礀 猀 攀 猀 猀 椀 漀 渀 猀 猀 欀 攀 琀 挀 栀 椀 渀 最 Ⰰ 眀 爀 椀 椀 渀 最
愀 渀 搀 眀 愀 氀 欀 椀 渀 最 椀 渀 眀 椀 氀 搀 瀀 氀 愀 挀 攀 猀
䴀 漀 爀 攀 搀 攀 琀 愀 椀 氀 猀 愀 渀 搀 甀 瀀 挀 漀 洀 椀 渀 最 搀 愀 琀 攀 猀 愀 琀
眀 眀 眀 ⸀ 愀 渀 渀 椀 攀 欀 攀 爀 爀 ⸀ 挀 漀 ⸀ 甀 欀 漀 爀 瀀 氀 攀 愀 猀 攀 挀 愀 氀 氀 㜀 㠀 㜀 㘀 㔀 㘀 ㈀アパート㈀
䰀 攀 琀 琀 栀 攀 漀 甀 琀 搀 漀 漀 爀 猀 椀 渀
VALENCE ROAD OSTEOPATHS
neck or back pain?
LESSONS AND COURSES
Lin Peters - OSTEOPATH
for the treatment of:
neck or low back pain • sports injuries • rheumatic
arthritic symptoms • pulled muscles • joint pain
stiffness • sciatica - trapped nerves • slipped discs
tension • frozen shoulders • cranial osteopathy
pre and post natal
www.lewesosteopath.co.uk
20 Valence Road Lewes 01273 476371
River Clinic
OSteOpathy
& Cranial
OSteOpathy
Michaela Kullack & Simon Murray
Experienced, Registered Osteopaths
COMpleMentary therapieS
Acupuncture, Alexander Technique,
Bowen Technique, Children’s Clinic,
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Therapy, Life Coaching, Physiotherapy,
Pilates, Reflexology, Shiatsu
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Open Monday to Saturday
01273 475735
River Clinic, Wellers Yard,
Brooks Road, Lewes BN7 2BY
email: info@lewesosteopathy.com
www.lewesriverclinic.co.uk
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LESSONS AND COURSES
OTHER SERVICES
Singing Lessons
Experienced voice teacher - DBS checked - Wallands area
www.HilarySelby.com
07960 893 898

OTHER SERVICES
CARS
www.andrewwells.co.uk
We can work it out
• BUSINESS ACCOUNTS AND TAX
• MEDIA AND THE ARTS
• CONTRACTORS AND CONSULTANTS
• FRIENDLY AND FLEXIBLE
T: 01273 961334
E: aw@andrewwells.co.uk
FREE
initial
consultation
Andrew M Wells Accountancy
99 Western Road Lewes BN7 1RS
Andrew Wells_Viva Lewes_AW.indd 1 25/06/2012 09:05

INSIDE LEFT
BUILD A BONFIRE
These rather wild-looking fellows are standing in front of an incredibly tightly made bonfire they have
built for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, which was celebrated, all over her Empire, on June 22nd
1897. The caption (the plate is from the Reeves archive) reads ‘Beacon fire on Caburn’, so it’s easy to
surmise that this is Glynde’s contribution to the line of beacons that were lit that night all over the country,
2,548 in all, of which 96 were in Sussex. The bonfire-building in Glynde was officially organised by
Rear Admiral Thomas Brand (son of the 1st Viscount Hampden) though he doesn’t appear to be in the
picture. The beacons were lit from 10pm, and, despite it being a gloomy night (it rained until 9.45) the
result was pretty spectacular, as one letter writer to the subsequent Spectator, watching from Coomb Hill
in Lewes, testified. “The fire nearest to us, that on Mount Caburn, though two miles distant, appeared
to the naked eye like a blazing furnace, and gave some idea of the magnitude of each individual fire,”
he wrote. From his vantage point, he could count 70 fires. Perhaps the chaps in the picture would be
a little miffed at the letter writer’s next statement: “The pile on Firle Beacon, the next peak, was even
larger, measuring 80ft. in height and 150 ft. in circumference. The flames shot up from it with a regular
tongue-shaped blaze of light.” It sounds like there was quite a bit of patriotic fervour going on up there.
“A considerable number of townspeople had climbed the Down in the dark to witness so unique a sight,
and before dispersing they showed their loyalty by singing the National Anthem. We were guided on
our return journey down the steep hill by the brilliant illuminations in the town, which lay far below us.”
The Queen was in Buckingham Palace, attending a massive party in her honour, and she notes in her
diary that she went to bed at 11pm. “There were illuminations,” she writes, “which we did not see, but
could hear a great deal of cheering & singing.” AL
Thanks as ever to Tom and Tania at Edward Reeves, 159 High Street, 0123 473274
114

THE GARDENER’S ARMS
46 Cliffe High Street • Lewes • 01273 474808
Brighton & South Downs
CAMRA 2016 PUB OF THE YEAR
5% OFF
for CAMRA members
and Lewes FC owners