Barbican House facts for kids
Barbican House is an old building from the 1500s. It stands right next to the famous Lewes Castle. Today, this historic house is a fun museum. It is also the main office for the Sussex Archaeological Society. This group helps protect and share the history of Sussex.
The house is officially recognized as a special "Grade II*" listed building. This means it's an important part of history.
A Look Back in Time
Barbican House was built in the 1500s. It was first made mostly of timber (wood). Inside, there's a stone fireplace with the year 1579 carved on it.
In the 1700s, the house got bigger. Its front was also changed. Now, the house has three floors and a basement. It is mostly built from red brick.
The front of the house faces the gate of Lewes Castle. In 1907, a big fire happened nearby. It spread for a long time in Lewes High Street. But luckily, the fire was stopped before it reached Barbican House.
In 1952, Barbican House was given its special "Grade II*" listed building status. This protects its historical importance.
Exploring the Museum
Barbican House is now the main office for the Sussex Archaeological Society. They also run the Barbican House Museum inside. It is sometimes called the Museum of Sussex Archaeology.
The museum shows the history of Sussex life. You can learn about times all the way back to the Stone Age.
Inside, you can see cool things like pottery. This pottery was found during digs at Battle Abbey. There are also old floor tiles from Wilmington Priory. You can also see green tiles from a property in Rye.
A special part of the museum is a model village of Lewes. It shows what the town looked like in the 1880s.
In 2020, the museum faced some challenges. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the Sussex Archaeological Society worked hard to keep it going.
