Lewes is the county town of East Sussex — a historic market town in the Ouse valley, ringed by chalk downland and some of the most honey-productive farm landscape in the county. The steep chalk escarpment of the Downs frames the town to the south and west, and the meadow corridors of the Ouse and Glynde Reach give bees early sallow and willowherb. Lewes has a lively beekeeping community centred on the Brighton & Lewes BKA.
Collectors regularly attend swarms in the old flint walls and fire-station lanes of the town centre, in the allotment gardens of the Nevill Estate and Mountfield Road, in the chalk churchyard of St Anne's and the great lime tree at the Castle, and in the garden hedgerows of the outlying villages of Ringmer, Glynde and Plumpton.
Nearest BBKA-affiliated associations to help with swarm collection and local advice.
BN7 2LR· approx. 0 km
Visit websiteBN26 5DF· approx. 17 km
Visit websiteRH19 4SJ· approx. 23 km
Visit websiteAssociation data sourced from the British Beekeepers Association directory via SwarmBase.
The early flow starts on blackthorn and wild cherry, before hawthorn lights the hedges of the Weald. Late May to July carries the colonies on sweet chestnut around Heathfield, bramble across every common and hedge bank, and — most characteristically — heather on Ashdown Forest from late July into August, giving the dark, jelly-like Ash Down heather honey some members still cut-comb for show. Ivy closes the year on sheltered sandstone lanes and the tall old churchyards of Rye, Lewes and Battle.
More on beekeeping in East SussexReport it in under a minute and a trained local beekeeper will arrange safe collection.
