The Alfriston & Cuckmere Valley Historical Society
The Historical Society was formed in 2003 to help preserve and promote the rich heritage of this beautiful downland village and the adjoining Cuckmere Valley.
We have regular meetings at which visiting speakers talk on a wide range of local and national historical subjects.
We also organise mid-summer and Christmas events with historical themes.
​
For further details, please see our ACVHS entry on the Memorial Hall clubs and societies page
For our events this year, visit the Memorial Hall's What's On page
Examples of recent past talks
The Ouse Valley Past Life and Times​
​
Speaker: Ian Everest
The River Ouse, near Lewes, 1900
​Ian presented old photographs and cine film to offer a glimpse of the less well-known aspects of life in the Ouse valley between Lewes and the sea. Areas of interest will include the agricultural, aviation, sporting and artistic heritage of the area.
Ian has a long family history in farming and attended Plumpton Agricultural College in the 1960s. After further agricultural work he became manager of Newhaven Fort in 1987 and a Town Clerk in 2001 before retirement in 2011 to become a public speaker.
Berwick Church Restoration
​
Speaker: Peter Blee
​
The world-famous Bloomsbury paintings in Berwick Church have recently been repaired and restored as part of the Berwick Project. Structural improvements to the church have also been made to conserve the paintings. Our speaker will describe the Berwick Project and illustrate its importance for preserving one of the most important church decorative schemes in the country.
Peter is Rector of St. Michael and All Angels Church, Berwick and author of “The Bloomsbury Group in Berwick Church”.
A Passion for Piers
​
Eastbourne Pier, 1910
The History of Lewes Workhouse
​
​Speaker: Mathew Homewood
​
Workhouses were harsh environments intended to provide employment for paupers and support for the infirm. Our speaker will tell the story of the Lewes Workhouse building from its construction in the 1860s to its demolition in the 1950s.
Mathew studied history at the University of Sussex. He has lived in Lewes since 1993 and has spent many years researching the history of the town.
​
Lewes Workhouse, 1910
​​The Early Railways of Sussex
Speaker: Kevin Gordon
A lecture on the history of railways in Sussex. He discussed the early railways of the United Kingdom and how they reached and spread across Sussex.
Kevin is a retired British Transport Police Officer who worked on
the railways for over 30 years. He is a local historian and former
chairman of our Society.
Lewes Station, 1900