Historic Market Tower in Lewes to be refurbished: work will be done in two phases over coming months, says District Council
Lewes District Council have announced that they will carry out the repairs and refurbishment of Lewes Market Tower in two phases.
The council said the work is set to take place over the coming months with phase one seeing repairs to windows and doors at the Grade II listed building.
Lewes District Council submitted a planning application for this work to South Downs National Park and it was approved on Friday, September 6. People can view it at planningpublicaccess.southdowns.gov.uk/online-applications using the reference SDNP/24/02451/LIS.
Councillor Wendy Maples, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Wellbeing, said: “We are investing around £250,000 in this much-loved, historic building to ensure its protection for the market and other community uses for the future.”
The council said phase two will look at replacing the canopy roof and repairing the lighting, as well as structural support works to the historic bell tower ‘with an emphasis on timber rather than steel supports’. They added that the phase two planning application will be later this year. The council also said they would keep consulting stakeholders over potential designs, while welcoming suggestions from interested groups. Visit lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/market-tower for updates on the work or email questions to [email protected].
The Market Tower is in the town centre and hosts the Lewes Friday Food Market on Fridays from 9am to 1pm. Visit www.lewesfoodmarket.co.uk to find out more about this event.
A Lewes District Council spokesperson said: “The idea for the tower was first conceived in 1786, when a Town Meeting resolved to build a tower to house the Town Bell ‘Old Gabriel’ and the Town Clock. It was agreed with Lord Hampden of Glynde to lay out the market on land he owned to the east of the Crown Inn. The Town Tower, now known as the Market Tower, was built in 1792 the same year in which Thomas Paine published his seminal work ‘The Rights of Man’. In modern times, the Market Tower has been used as the headquarters of LOS Musical Theatre (formerly Lewes Operatic). In 2009, the society kindly agreed to relinquish space on the ground floor to allow more community groups to use the space.”