Sussex Past

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Registered charity which works to ensure people can enjoy, learn about and have access to the heritage of Sussex.

📜 Established in 1846

26/10/2026

Discover more about the Society’s five new Trustees, voted in at the recent Annual General Meeting, Michael D’Aprix, Patrick Griffin, Alison Jones, Farès Moussa and Christopher Warleigh-Lack in our news article:
https://sussexpast.co.uk/news/our-new-trustees/

You can also read more about all members of our Council of Trustees by following the link below:
https://sussexpast.co.uk/about-us/our-trustees/

26/10/2026

Introducing our new monthly Online Talks programme📚

We’re pleased to announce the first talk in our new series of monthly Online Talks, exploring the rich archaeology, history and heritage of Sussex.

Join Dr Geoffrey Mead for Sussex Literary Landscapes, an exploration of the county’s literary heritage and the connections between its landscapes, history and writing.

The series offers an opportunity to discover more about Sussex from the comfort of your own home, with fascinating talks designed to spark curiosity and deepen our understanding of the past.

More monthly talks will be announced and go on sale next month🗓️

Find out more and book your place by following the link below:
https://sussexpast.co.uk/whats-on/online-talk-sussex-literary-landscapes-with-dr-geoffrey-mead/

23/10/2026

We have a number of fun family events happening across our properties this half term and Halloween!

From 26-30 October 2026 Lewes Castle & Museum, Michelham Priory House & Gardens, Anne of Cleves House, and Fishbourne Roman Palace & Gardens will be providing a number of entertaining, interactive activities across the week.

- Roman Army Week at Fishbourne Roman Palace: Young recruits and their families can immerse themselves in a week of thrilling activities designed for aspiring Roman soldiers.

- Halloween at Michelham Priory House & Gardens: Wednesday 28 October are ghost walks, Halloween arts and crafts, and plenty of horror filled fun like the broomstick derby. From 27–30 October there's a spooky Halloween trail and spooky colouring to be done in the beautiful historic surroundings of Michelham Priory.

- Halloween Adventures at Lewes Castle & Museum: Follow the Pumpkin Trail, hunt for hidden letters and unscramble them to reveal the secret word! There's also arts and crafts, with magical storytelling sessions with Trevor on selected dates.

- Halloween Adventures at Anne of Cleves House: Follow the Witches’ Potion Trail and discover what you can find along the way! Trevor will also be joining for more magical storytelling.

We would love you to join us at one (or all!) of these fun events.

More information and tickets can be found on our website https://sussexpast.co.uk/whats-on/.

19/10/2026

Thank you to everyone, both in person and online, who attended our Annual General Meeting at Fishbourne Roman Palace on Saturday. And thank you to all the candidates who put themselves forward to join our Council of Trustees. The five new Trustees voted in are Michael D’Aprix, Patrick Griffin, Alison Jones, Farès Moussa and Christopher Warleigh-Lack.

Also at the AGM, the recipient of our inaugural Volunteer of the Year Award was Alana Johnston, Volunteer Property Manager at Michelham Priory House & Gardens. Many congratulations Alana for such a very well-deserved award! The photo shows Alana, right, receiving the award from our Chair of the Council of Trustees, Amanda Jones.

16/10/2026

Members of The Sussex Archaeological Society can now receive 20% off membership of the Council for British Archaeology!

CBA membership offers a range of benefits, including access to British Archaeology Magazine, archive access, online lectures, member newsletters and events, as well as supporting the CBA’s work to champion archaeology and make it accessible across the UK.

Once you’ve joined, or if you’re an existing Society Member, look out for the CBA membership discount code in our e-newsletters.

Learn more about becoming a member of The Sussex Archaeological Society https://sussexpast.co.uk/membership/become-a-member/

13/10/2026

This October half term, Fishbourne Roman Palace is seeking new recruits to join the ranks of the Roman Army!

From Monday 26th to Friday 30th October our young visitors can join up as a trainee Roman soldier. Once enlisted the new recruits will take part in military exercises in the Palace Gardens and get stuck into daily activities.

From writing their name in Roman letters to mastering sword and shield practice the new recruits will learn what it was like to be a Roman soldier and the skills they needed for combat!

As well as dressing up in uniform, they will learn about the medicines used 2000 years ago and how soldiers would spend their leisure time.

🎃 There will also be a Pumpkin Trail through the Palace gardens – a gentle nod to Halloween's ancient roots in Samhain, the Celtic festival marking the turning of the year.

This event is suitable for all ages.

📅 Monday 26th October to Friday 30th October
⏰ 10am to 4pm
🎟️ Admission: Included with general admission tickets. Members go free
Activities: Additional £1 per participant, purchased upon arrival.
Visit the link in our bio for more details 👆

09/10/2026

Yesterday (8th October) we welcomed Dr Sarah Posey, Director of Cultural Property at Arts Council England, to Lewes Castle to present our Museum Accreditation certificate.

Once again, all six of our properties have achieved Full Accreditation: Fishbourne Roman Palace, Lewes Castle & Museum, Michelham Priory, Anne of Cleves House Museum, Priest House Museum, and Marlipins Museum.

Emmie Kell, Director of Museums and Cultural Property at Arts Council England said: “Accreditation is an endorsement of a well-run museum and a significant achievement for any museum. I am delighted to see the hard work of the team at The Sussex Archaeological Society rewarded with Accredited status for all six of their sites. Visitors and the local community can be proud that their shared heritage is being cared for by responsible and forward-thinking custodians.”

Emma O’Connor, our Museums Officer, added: “Founded in 1846, The Sussex Archaeological Society has protected and celebrated the history of Sussex for 180 years. Today the Society delivers a professional and engaging heritage and museum service, embraces new research technologies, and works with partnership organisations to support its ambitions and strategic objectives.

As Museums Officer I am delighted that once again the Society has been awarded full Accreditation across its diverse museums, collections, and historic sites. This award underwrites the skills, expertise, enthusiasm, and commitment that staff, both paid and volunteer, bring to all aspects of the Society's activities securing Sussex history for enjoyment now and in the future.”

Thank you to our staff across all six sites.

Pictured second left: Dr Sarah Posey, Director of Cultural Property at Arts Council England with staff from across the Society.

25/09/2026

It was a pleasure to receive this message from The Herculaneum Society following their recent visit to Fishbourne Roman Palace.

We welcomed their group of 14 members on Saturday 19th September for a guided tour with Andie (pictured), our Learning Officer and a qualified Classics teacher. Afterwards, Samantha, their UK Events Co-ordinator wrote to us:

"...I would especially like to thank Andie for an excellent tour. Her knowledge of the Palace is remarkable, but what impressed us most was the way in which she shared it. Andie has a real gift for teaching: clear, engaging, generous, and always attentive to her audience. Andie brought the Palace, its archaeology, mosaics, and wider Roman context vividly to life.

Our members are a curious and knowledgeable group, and Andie handled their questions with confidence, insight, and good humour. Several people commented afterwards on how much they had learned and how much they had enjoyed the tour. For a Society with such a strong interest in the Roman world, it was a particularly rewarding experience.

Please do pass on our sincere thanks to Andie and to the reception team. Their knowledge, warmth, and professionalism made Fishbourne Roman Palace a highlight of our outing."

Across our six museums, our teams welcome everyone from school groups and families to specialist societies like this one. This wonderful feedback is testament to the passion and expertise that make our sites such special places to explore.

Thank you to the Herculaneum Society for taking the time to write, and congratulations to Andie and the Fishbourne team.

If you’re interested in a group visit or guided tour, you can find out more on our website https://sussexpast.co.uk/.

The Friends of Herculaneum Society

18/09/2026

This weekend, four of our sites - Anne of Cleves House, Lewes Castle & Museum, Marlipins Museum, and Fishbourne Roman Palace - took part in Heritage Open Days, England's largest festival of history and culture.

We were delighted to welcome around 5,400 visitors across the four sites from the 11th to 13th of September.

Heritage Open Days exist to give everyone the chance to explore the places that shape our history, often with free or reduced access. For us, it's a wonderful reminder of why we do what we do - opening our doors and sharing Sussex's heritage with as many people as possible.

Thank you to everyone who came along, and to our brilliant staff and volunteers who made it happen.

Find out more about Heritage Open Days here: https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/

11/09/2026

Following our recent announcement that all six of The Sussex Archaeological Society's museums have once again secured Full Accreditation status from Arts Council England, we wanted to share some reflections from one of the team who led this work.

Dr Rob Symmons, Curator at Fishbourne Roman Palace, worked alongside Emma O'Connor and Neil Couzens to bring the accreditation application together. Here's what he had to say:

"The Arts Council's Accreditation Standard is the hallmark of a professionally run museum and Accredited status demonstrates to all our stakeholders that the heritage we care for on their behalf is in safe hands. Obtaining Accreditation is a team effort, with input from Front of House, Learning, Management, Accounts, and other colleagues, not least our Trustees. I am also proud that my own efforts managing the world-class collections at Fishbourne Roman Palace have been recognised through this process."

A huge thank you to Rob, and to everyone across the Society whose work made this possible.

Address

Lewes

Website

https://sussexpast.co.uk/

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