Swim where Lewes has swum since 1861, in a cold spring-fed pool on a tree-lined lawn, run by a community charity
Open to visitorsopen mid-April to mid-October; book swims online, or pay at the kiosk if there's space
Back in 1860 a public subscription in Lewes raised the money for the Pells, and the pool opened the following year. That makes it the oldest documented freshwater public outdoor pool in the UK still in use. The water comes from the chalk aquifer (the water-holding chalk rock) beneath the baths, and the pool is a generous 50 yards by 25, about 46 by 23 metres, set on a lawn ringed by trees a short walk from the town centre.
The Pells is unheated, and spring water runs chilly even in July. The season runs from mid-April to mid-October, finishing with an early-autumn season, and a community charity runs the pool, which added its own sauna in 2026 for warming up after a swim. Book online, or pay at the kiosk if there’s space on the day. Lewes station is about 800m south, and Lewes Castle is a few minutes’ walk south, up in the old town.
