Charleston — Local services in Lewes

Charleston is always interesting and beautiful and has a great literary festival in the summer. If you are interested in their festival - sadly only 'members' get the best chance to buy tickets for the most popular events. These can 'sell out' it seems before going on general sale. This is in my view elitist and 'exclusive' (ie effectively exclusionary) as it is only those able to pay 'from' £66 or £112 a year for membership who get access to 'advance booking'. In today's economic climate stretching to tickets for a literary festival is a very middle class problem when people are struggling to heat their homes, but the membership club while advantaging those with lots of disposable money, effectively disadvantages anyone financially challenged - which today is the majority of people. And it is not a 'choice' thing about what you make your personal 'priorities' when many people are choosing between food and heat and clothing. As noted, by the time festival tickets go on 'general sale' popular speakers' events can be sold out which suggests there are lots of Charleston supporters with lots of disposable income. I couldn't see any mention of concessionary 'memberships' on the website but they are after all marketing the access as 'exclusive' (exclusionary). Which indeed it is. Disappointing. I am conflicted as I think this should warrant taking off more stars really, but as I say, it is a beautiful and interesting place. They rely on people paying to keep them going so no doubt would justify the current set up because of that. If you book for the festival, most events do have concession tickets '15% concession for students, disabled visitors, universal and pension credit recipients and green travellers who arrive by public transport, by bike or on foot.' And I guess these discounts apply for members too. So there are 'concessions' - but if accessing tickets for some events is impossible without membership then for the general public these are redundant. What could keep their 'exclusive" club but would be fairer? - I suggest they should introduce something like the Wimbledon ballot for the most obviously popular events! At least everyone then would have the same odds as everyone else and members would still keep their 'exclusive' (exclusionary) access to...

After waiting for so many years to visit Charleston and having travelled so very far to finally visit today, it is with enormous sadness that I write this review. The house and garden are, of course, fascinating and a joy. It was bliss to finally see it in person. Having studied the artists, writers and associated characters of Bloomsbury for many decades it was all I had hoped it would be - I would just have appreciated the opportunity to see all of it in peace. Unfortunately, our long awaited visit was completely ruined today by overbearing, intrusive and officious volunteers/staff members. With the exception of the young woman at the entrance of the house, and, the lady in the library/Vanessas original bedroom, we were relentlessly interrupted and badgered by staff asking us questions. ‘Are you alright?’ (repeatedly), ‘Is there anything you want to know?’ (repeatedly), ‘Have you been upstairs?’ (three times by the same woman), ‘Do ask us if you want to know anything’ (over and over again).

Along with the highly frustrating, non stop badgering, there was incessant unsolicited information giving and attempts to make conversation. In every room, with the exception of one, whenever I stopped to look at or study a painting or piece of furniture or even look out of a window I would be interrupted. After repeatedly replying that we were ‘Fine thank you’ we still continued to be harassed. These same women seemed to be completely unaware that not every visitor needs educating and if they require information they can ask. Neither do visitors wish to be spoken to like clueless children in a patronising manner.

Short of asking these persistent staff members to please leave us alone what were we to do? Eventually, we could bear it no longer and left. I don’t ever recall an experience such as this anywhere in the world when visiting a place of historic interest. Our visit to Charleston that had been so much looked forward to was completely and utterly ruined by this extremely...

If you follow me through social media then I'm gonna start talking about trauma and survival of it well all I can say is that this place is number one on my list of this to go somewhere and feel safe if and remember what it is to be young again, has a child.

I was very much into art because of my uncle Tony Lawrence I give thanks for his gift to me on my 5th birthday it was an art set, which was red, with all the colors of crayons it was by Crayola.

On the white broad, you have stencils on one side and smooth on the other side so you just draw. The set holds your paper as well as space for more equipment that one may need at that age.

I also remember the yellow ruler that slid alongside the tracks molded in the set. He never knew that that personally goes for yours gaslighted all my life by his very own brother!

Anyway back to Charleston house this place is an incredibly beautiful field of history and works of art that you would all recognize throughout your life.

I have to say the before the the tour began our initial guides person Peter, literally said that right words to me at that moment in time there is a special place with wonderful people and is a breath of fresh air away from the city this is why the Bloomsbury group chose this area where you can feel safe.

I literally have to walk away and burst into tears. I'm actually doing it right now so I'm writing.

Stories that took place within this home are amazing and I resonate with them and see a lot of people that stayed here interests in me.

Could you imagine me Inspector Gadget did I have a wire for my phone to charge fast enough today and it died only halfway through my tour, maybe that's the universe's way of saying b** come back another time and take pictures or less is more!

Either way I will be coming back again this place is amazing as I need to see...