Charleston

Charleston in Firle

The modernist home and studio of the painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, Charleston was a gathering point for some of the 20th century’s most radical artists, writers and thinkers known collectively as the Bloomsbury group.

It is where they came together to imagine society differently, and has always been a place where art and experimental thinking are at the centre of everyday life. Today, Charleston presents a dynamic year-round programme of exhibitions, events and festivals. 

Book ahead to see inside the house and exhibitions, but the cafe, garden and grounds are free to visit, and offer a varied experience throughout the seasons.

Charleston in Lewes

Charleston in Lewes is a cultural centre housed in a former local authority municipal building from 1939, serving as a home for art exhibitions, community projects, workshops, and educational programs.

It is not a new idea for the Bloomsbury group to explore creating a cultural centre in Lewes. During the Second World War, the economist John Maynard Keynes, alongside Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, worked on a project for the precursor of the Arts Council, making designs for a theatre and art gallery for small towns across the country, using Lewes as a model.

When to visit

Charleston is open to visitors all year round. This includes Charleston’s cafes,  shop, exhibitions, house and garden.

While you’re in the area

• Monk’s House (National Trust) – the Sussex home of Virginia and Leonard Woolf
• The Ram Inn, Firle 
• The Star, Alfriston