Marcus Taylor looks at two streams in Lewes which, though very short, have had a significant effects on the town over the centuries.
One made possible the building of Lewes Priory and supplied its advanced drainage systems and ponds with water. The other, with its seasonal flow and thus a dry channel for much of the year, has brought disruptive flooding to Southover on many occasions.
This online article is based on Marcus’s talk to the Friends of Lewes in May 2022.
Since we first published this article in July 2022, Marcus has been given additional photos and has added them to this updated version, along with some new text.
Winterbourne and Cockshut – the streams of Western Lewes
Flooding in Lewes, 1960
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