Britain’s prettiest town with its own hilltop castle where people ‘live the longest’
THERE’S a town in the UK which is not only beautiful, but is said to have some of the longest living locals in the country.
Lewes, in East Sussex town is known for being a big foodie destination.
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The Telegraph declared Lewes to be the country’s ‘prettiest town‘, and it’s also one of the top 10 places in the UK where Brits ‘live the longest’.
According to the publication, the average life expectancy in Lewes is 85.1 years for women, and 80.9 for men.
This is compared to the UK average which is 83 years for women and 79.1 years for men. (The lowest in the UK is in Blackpool with 78.9 years for women and 73.1 for men).
Lewes was described as a ‘hip and historic’ market town with access to the South Downs National Park.
The main feature of the town, however, is its medieval castle which sits on a hilltop looking over it.
Visitors can climb up the steep staircase, and if they do so are rewarded with the best views of Lewes and the hills of the South Downs.
Entry tickets into the castle cost £12 per person.
Heading back into the town centre there are top bakeries, breweries and pubs to explore.
The Flint Owl Bakery was recognised in the top 50 UK bakeries by the Good Food Guide 2025.
It’s well-known for its Lewes-baked organic breads and pastries that are freshly baked each morning.
Lewes has its own local brewery called Harvey’s – which should be a spot that every visitor pops into, especially as it runs its own tours around the factory.
If you don’t fancy a tour, Harvey’s Brewery Shop is in the town too so you can pick up a few bottles of beer and ale to enjoy at home.
Something very unique about it is that its drinks are still delivered to the local pubs by dray horses.
For more British charm, here are some of our favourite seaside towns…
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Sidmouth, Devon
Take a trip to Sidmouth on the Jurassic Coast and wander down Jacob’s Ladder to its pretty shingle beach. Make sure to walk along the promenade and check out the independent shops and boutiques. Stay at the four-star Harbour Hotel for sea views and traditional afternoon tea from £135 per room.
Whitby, North Yorkshire
With a history of sailors and vampires, a dramatic coastal path, and the very best in pints and scampi, it takes a lot to beat Whitby. Pop in the amusements, eat award-winning fish and chips, and board the all-singing Captain Cook boat tour on the harbour. The Royal Hotel overlooks the harbour with stays from just £68 per room.
Old Hunstanton, Norfolk
This town has some of the best beach walks beside striped limestone cliffs, a Victorian lighthouse and 13th century ruins. The beach has golden sands with rolling dunes and colourful beach huts, backed by a pretty pinewood forest. Stay at a beachfront hotel from £100 per room.
Seahouses, Northumberland
This is an authentic British seaside break, with fishing boats bobbing on its pretty harbour and fresh catches of the day to enjoy in local restaurants. There’s no flashing arcades here, but there’s a great beach with rockpools, boat trips, and you may even spot a grey seal, too. Treat yourself to a stay at the Bamburgh Castle Inn from £129 per room.
The Swan Inn on the high street is a popular spot to head into for a pint.
It has a unique pub garden too as it sits on the Greenwich Meridian – an invisible border which divides the world into east and west.
Another pretty spot just outside of the town is Glyndebourne, which is an opera house where Pavarotti once performed.
It sits amongst 12-acres of gardens with flowers, ponds and delicately trimmed hedges.
Every summer, it holds a festival where world-class opera singers perform – during the interval, guests can enjoy a fine dining dinner, or have a picnic on the grounds.
For more pretty gardens, head to Southover Grange Gardens, a former private garden built in 1952, which one visitor describes as a ‘gorgeous floral garden’.
The town is known for its annual bonfire celebration – which is the largest of its kind in the world.
It’s organised by six different societies, they each have a festival on the day with a torch-lit procession and of course huge firework displays all over the town.
For those who can’t get enough of being by the seaside, you can reach Brighton in under half-an-hour by car.
Or if you head to Brighton by train, it takes just 17-minutes from Lewes station.
Check out the other destinations in the UK where people live the longest…
Here is where people live the longest in the UK, according to The Telegraph…
Wokingham
Average life expectancy; Women – 85.6 years. Men 82.8 years
Kensington and Chelsea, London
Average life expectancy; Women – 87.1 years. Men 83.9 years
Windsor
Average life expectancy; Women – 85.1 years. Men 81.3 years
Richmond
Average life expectancy; Women – 86.3 years. Men 82.5 years
Totnes
Average life expectancy; Women – 85.9 years. Men 82 years
Bearsden
Average life expectancy; Women – 83.9 years. Men 80.3 years
Monmouth
Average life expectancy; Women – 85.2 years. Men 80.7 years
Fleet
Average life expectancy; Women – 85.5 years. Men 83.5 years
Lewes
Average life expectancy; Women – 85.1 years. Men 80.9 years
Stroud
Average life expectancy; Women – 84.4 years. Men 80.8 years
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