Why go now?
You may know it for its riotous Guy Fawkes celebrations, but this summer Lewes is celebrating a more literary figure, with festivities dedicated to the life of English radical Thomas Paine. A prolific pamphleteer, revolutionary and Founding Father of the United States, Paine wrote the book on civil liberties. His essay Common Sense inspired both the American and French Revolutions; The Rights of Man is still required reading for anarchists and idealists everywhere.

"Thomas Paine and Lewes: Revolution and Reason" fuses contemporary debates on liberty with the six years that Paine spent in Lewes before his departure to the (then) colonies at the behest of his friend Benjamin Franklin. The main festival began on 4 July, but there are events taking place throughout the summer, including a dance party in the streets today and a revival of In Lambeth at the Lewes Theatre Club, which dramatises an imagined meeting between Thomas Paine and William Blake.

Tickets are on sale now from Lewes Town Hall (01273 471469), for more information visit thomaspaineandlewes.com.

Where to stay?
There are two rather smart choices in the town: The Shelleys (01273 472361; the-shelleys.co.uk), and Pelham House (01273 488600; pelhamhouse.com). The former is right on the High Street, a mostly Georgian town house with 19 rooms, including one with a four-poster, from £190.

Pelham House is slightly set back from the High Street and has 31 individually furnished rooms. Doubles from £170 with a view or £130 without.

Don't miss
Paine's haunts, obviously. He lived at Bull House from 1768-74 and drank at the White Hart Hotel. Stop for a pint, not a room - only the bar retains the building's Tudor charm. Guided walks are available (01273 475885; lewesguidedwalks.vpweb.co.uk).

Present-day Lewes doesn't feel like a revolutionary hotbed. It's a handsome, well-to-do county town with a castle, a brewery and a thriving high street. It's fiercely independent, though, even trialling its own currency: the Lewes Pound was set up last year to keep people spending locally.

Harveys Brewery
(01273 480217; harveys.org.uk), on the River Ouse, is an institution and supplies most of the pubs - there was a furore in 2006 when the Lewes Arms, then owned by rival brewer Greene King, stopped serving its beer. Greene King finally relented, perhaps fearing Paine's legacy of protest. Harveys Brewery tours must be booked in advance - but there is a two-year waiting list. Alternatively, drop into its shop. The Norman Castle (01273 405739) reopened last month with improved access and new attractions.

Where to stay
Shelleys and Pelham House both have fancy dining rooms with main courses from £15-£18, but there is also a lot of choice for more casual eating. Bill's Produce Store (01273 476918; billsproducestore.co.uk) on Cliffe High Street is a must; with all-day breakfasts and interesting lunches from £4-£9. Seasons (01273 473968) on the main High Street is a tiny basement cafe with proper veggie/vegan credentials. The Rainbow (01273 400334; rainbowsussex.com) in nearby Cooksbridge is a long-established foodie pub with a loyal local following.

The perfect pub
It's impossible to name just one, so a pub crawl may be the only way to decide. Brewery tap the John Harvey Tavern (01273 479880) just off Cliffe High Street is one for the real-ale fraternity, with a good selection of porters and ciders, too. It's unpretentious and nice for a sunny day by the river. The Gardeners Arms just up the street doesn't look much from the outside but is consistently popular with locals; it's a boozers' boozer, with a good range of micro-brews. New management and a refit have gone down well at the Pelham Arms (01273 476 149; thepelhamarms.co.uk) on the High Street and, post Harveygate, the tiny Lewes Arms on Mount Place is busy again (01273 473152).

Retail therapy
There's a bit of modern high street creep from the likes of White Stuff and Pizza Express, but independents still thrive - particularly antiques shops. There are more than seven on the High Street alone. Sunday trading isn't a given so plan accordingly. The Fifteenth Century Bookshop (01273 474160) specialises in children's books through the ages. Pop into the Harveys shop for a bottle of Tom Paine Ale, a snip at £1.15 and a heady 5.5%.

Take a hike
The hilly High Street prepares you for the South Downs, which loom over the town in pleasingly bucolic fashion. Head west on the South Downs Way to the pretty village of Pyecombe, about seven miles away via Ditchling Beacon and the Jack and Jill windmills at Clayton (southdownsway.co.uk).

Take the family
The Railway Land Nature Reserve is a delightful open space once occupied by the Lewes-Uckfield line. There are paths through woodland and along the Ouse, most of them wheelchair- and buggy-accessible (01273 484408; lewes.gov.uk/leisure/11008.asp).