As the United States marks its 250th anniversary in 2026, commemorating a semiquincentennial of independence, few people realise that the first inklings of revolution were sparked in Sussex by Thomas Paine, the English-born American Founding Father, who lived in the town of Lewes.
With its pretty streets and medieval buildings, this quaint English town seems an unlikely location for the beginnings of rebellion, presenting a flawless façade that adds to its appeal. Scratch beneath the surface and discover that Lewes is much more than just a pretty face, with radical roots that have shaped the course of global history. Discover the Sussex town that influenced the American Revolution, with 48 hours in Lewes.
How is Lewes linked to the American Revolution?
One of the American Revolution’s most influential voices, the English-born American Founding Father and international revolutionary, Thomas Paine lived and worked in Lewes in the 18th century, where he became involved in radical politics, social reform, and Enlightenment thinking.
Paine’s time in Lewes sharpened the ideas that would later ignite the American Revolution. In 1776, Paine wrote Common Sense, a powerful pamphlet that was widely read during the American Revolution and instrumental in rallying support for American independence.
Day two: (Un)Firle more Sussex revolutionary connections
Visit Firle Place to explore a different side to the American Revolution, and admire the modernist artistic residence of Charleston in Firle.
To discover a counter perspective to the story of American Independence, travel five miles outside of Lewes to visit Firle Place, the ancestral home of General Thomas Gage, who was the British commander-in-chief in North America prior to, and during the start of, the American Revolution. Gage was one of the most significant British figures opposing American independence, and his actions led to the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill, beginning the American War of Independence.
Nearby, Charleston in Firle is the modernist home and studio of artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, once the gathering place for the Bloomsbury Group, a vanguard artistic movement in early 20th-century Britain whose radical writers, artists, and thinkers included Virginia Woolf and John Maynard Keynes. Charleston represents the area’s long tradition of radical thought, creativity, and social change.
