c. Lee Robbins
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.
Don't miss
|
Explore the famous farmhouse and gardens
|
|
|
A year-round programme of exhibitions
|
|
|
World-renowned festivals, including Charleston Festival and Festival of the Garden
|
c. Lee Robbins
c. Lee Robbins
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
c. Lee Robbins
c. Lee Robbins
c. Lee Robbins
Add to Favourites
View on Explore MapYou may also like
Festival of the Garden
Events | Art
Reconnect with nature at Charleston’s pioneering horticultural event.
Visit a Sussex vineyard
News | Wine
With its high latitude, warm and dry maritime climate, and range of soil types Sussex has just the right characteristics and long seasons for growing grapes.
The Sussex Modern guide to Eastbourne
Overnight | Art | Landscape | Wine
Small enough to explore in a day, exciting enough to stay for a week, Eastbourne has got it going on. So if you do like to be beside the seaside, here are just some of the things to do, places to stay, eat and drink in Britain’s new cultural hotspot.
20 Years in the Vines – Wiston Estate
Story | Wine
Celebrating 20 years of Wiston Estate wines, from the first pressings on chalk soils to national recognition and a thriving, nature‑focused future.
Pevensey Bay
Landscape
Pevensey Bay is an old fishing village founded in the 1600s and is famously known as William of Normandy’s landing place in 1066. It is now a popular seaside destination. Pevensey village dates back to the 13th century and the nearby Pevensey Levels are a natural haven for wild birds, flowers and animals.
Pruning the Oxney Organic way
News | Wine
Have you ever wondered what happens at a vineyard during the winter? It may surprise you to know that it is still a very busy time for wine producers. We spoke to our partners at Oxney Organic Wine Estate who told us all there is to know about this time of year.
West Dean College
Art
Set in the award-winning West Dean Gardens with a restaurant, West Dean College offers a vibrant calendar of events, from author and artist talks to concerts and exhibitions.
The Rathfinny Cottage
Accommodation | Overnight | Self-catering
Get away from it all at this picturesque cottage situated among 600-acres of vines on the Rathfinny Wine Estate.
Jack in the Green, Hastings
Events
Paint the town green on the Sussex coast.
