The A259 passing through Old Town. On the right is The Lamb, a Grade II listed
Link building . The pub has been run by Harveys of Lewes for well over 100 years and is the oldest pub in Eastbourne. It was established in 1126 or 1180
TV5999 : Sign of The Lamb or 1240 according to various sources. According to Adrian Carter writing in the Eastbourne Herald
Archive Link "Downstairs at the Lamb is what is left of the monastic house, a Norman vaulted chamber together with some tunnels leading from the Lamb to the Parsonage by the side of St Mary’s Church. The Lamb was built as a clergy house as part of the development of the church then called St Michael’s and would have housed the clergy. In its early life in 1180/1190 through into the 13th century, it was an almonry, part of a cell which may or may not have been part of the Cluniac Priory of St Pancras. Six to 12 monks or clergymen would have lived here providing alms to the poor people of Eastbourne who came for handouts. Providing alms meant quite a lot of thronging out on the street and because the monks presumably wanted a safe conduct from their home to the parsonage, tunnels were built which are sadly now collapsed"