insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 10 - December 2015 | Page 97

CHRISTMAS
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING IN SUSSEX cont.

QUAINT AND QUIRKY
Arundel
The Old Print House Shopping Arcade,
Tarrant St
Arundel Arts, Craft and Antiques Market,
Tarrant St
A place of tradition and heritage, but with a
cosmopolitan edge, Arundel has become
something of a Sussex icon. While its cobbled
streets and infamous 12th-century castle are a
constant reminder of its important historic past,
beside this you you’ll also find contemporary
art galleries and independent boutiques. Very
much a community, and one that thrives on the
spirit of unity promoted by that, local shops are
at the forefront of Arundel’s attractions, so you
can easily combine a day of sightseeing with a
few hours’ browsing for one-off Christmas gifts.
The Old Print House Shopping Arcade, which
sits just minutes from the High Street, is
home to some very distinctive shops – you
can pick up original prints and paintings,
art & crafts, contemporary giftware, quality
handmade furniture and vintage vinyl, as
well as handbags, scarves and accessories.
Located at the foot of the High Street, Pallant
is an independent specialist food shop selling
an impressive selection of cheese and local
wines, not to mention foot-long pasta! – and
the town’s incredible Arts, Craft and Antiques
Market is a group of 16 shops where you’ll find
everything from cheap and cheerful bargains to
really special investment pieces.

Rye
McCully and Crane, Cinque Ports St
The epitome of olde-worlde charm, we bet you
half a shilling that you’ll settle in nicely for an
indulgent cream tea at one of Rye’s gorgeous
little tearooms before you even start your
Christmas shopping. Should you be able to
drag yourself way from the scones and out into
this medieval market town’s cobbled shopping
streets, you’ll find quite a bit more than the
antiques for which it’s famed.
Not to be overlooked, antique shops in Rye
are truly unique; where some specialise in really
high-end one-offs, others focus on specific
historic periods and you’ll chance upon military
memorabilia, old books, ancient glass, brass
ornaments and chandeliers among a whole
lot more. Look out for McCully and Crane, a
quirky, modern shop bedecked with bright blue
walls that showcase their inspired collection
of objet trouvé and daring lighting beautifully.
Country Ways on Strand Quay is a charming
throwback to the kitchens of the 50s, selling
interesting crockery, old-fashioned weighing
scales and gingham tablecloths, and The Tiny
Book Store, in Church Square, is just that – a
diminutive, one-roomed bookshop packed full
with limited edition treasures.

Lewes
Tucked away in East Sussex, snuggled
protectively between the South Downs National
Park and miles of unspoilt coastline, Lewes
is a chocolate-box town whose narrow High
Street and rows of Tudor cottages wouldn’t
look out of place on the front of a Christmas
card. In fact, you can probably buy some
Lewes-themed Christmas cards from one of
its many independent shops. It might be a
small town, but it is brimming with an eclectic
mix of curious shops and businesses, from the
antiques hub at the bottom of Cliffe High St
to more modern offerings selling gifts, art and
lovely, stylish homeware.
Closet and Botts on the High Street advertises
itself as a homestore, but is so much more
than that; an Aladdin’s cave of all things
vintage, its chic aesthetic instantly puts you in
mind of France and it’s a great place to shop
for unusual gardenware and outdoor furniture,
kitsch stationery, sewing paraphernalia and
gorgeous collectible crockery. Lewes Flea
Market on Market Street offers shopping in the
similar vein, but its extensive size means it can
afford to be less carefully curated, so you’re
just as likely to come out with a gilded mirror
that you didn’t need alongside some equally
fabulous gifts that you did.

www.visit1066country.com
www.staylewes.info

www.arundel.org.uk

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