Listen up! Hidden tales of Lewes Castle now available thanks to new audio town trail

Visitors to Lewes Castle & Museum will now be able to eavesdrop on hidden secrets from the town’s medieval past thanks to a new innovative audio trail.

Three new plaques bearing QR codes have been installed along Castlegate, thanks to a collaboration between the Sussex Archaeological Society, which owns and manages the landmark, and Audioways.

From defending the barbican to the best technique for polishing up your armour, the history of the 11th Century fortress in the heart of Lewes can now be brought to life in just a few clicks by anyone with a mobile device.

Visitors simply scan the code with their phone to access a unique and compelling audio clip which will illuminate aspects of life in the town during the medieval period.

One of the stories will reveal what the people of Lewes stole during the Peasants’ Revolt, also known as Wat Tyler’s Rebellion, of 1381.

Lynn Gayford, from the learning team at the Sussex Archaeological Society, said: “Lewes Castle has been at the centre of life in the town for over 900 years, witnessing many historic events.

“So, when we were approached to take part in this innovative trail, we wanted to highlight some unusual stories, the kind that don’t usually appear in guidebooks, to help paint a more vivid picture of what life was once like for people in the town.”

Audioways is a project to create a free QR audio trail across the Lewes district, which tells eclectic and site-specific stories on themes such as history, ecology and archaeology.

The Sussex Archaeological Society is set to get further involved with Audioways later this year when plaques relating to Anne of Cleves House and Bull House are added to the expanding QR trail.

Lewes Castle & Museum is open from 10am to 4pm every day throughout February.

To find out more about the Audioways scheme, visit: https://www.audioways.co.uk/