The recent revival of theatrical productions at the Lamb in Eastbourne's original High Street revives a historic tradition at what was once the centre of the village's cultural and social life.

The eighteenth century extension of the original hostelry whose cellars date back to the twelfth century was used as the Assembly Rooms of the village and theatrical productions were among the social activities which took place there. Notable amongst these were amateur dramatic productions in some of which Charles Dickens participated.

The Pilgrims House opposite the Lamb with the Blue Plaque for Dickens. The inscription reads "Charles Dickens 1812 - 1870 Made several visits to this ancient house in the 1830s"

The Blue Plaque on the Pilgrims opposite - which is Eastbourne's oldest house and pre-dates the Lamb - records the fact that for several summers in the 1830's and 1840's the house was rented by Augustus Egg, R.A., a notable Victorian painter, was an escape from the smoke of London where he lived in Bayswater. Two of his close friends were Holman Hunt the artist and Charles Dickens who would join Egg at his summer retreat, Hunt coming over from his home in Fairlight and Dickens down from London.

Augustus Egg's portrait of Charles Dickens in the role of Sir Charles Coldstream in an amateur performance of 'Used Up'. The head and shoulders are taken from a study of Dickens, painted almost certainly at the Pilgrims.

Their common interest was amateur dramatics and they would rehearse their parts across the road at Pilgrims and then put on the plays either at the now disappeared theatre in South Street (taking their refreshment at the still existing Dickens Tea Rooms in South Street) or in the Assembly Rooms at the Lamb. It is thus supremely appropriate that the tradition of theatre is now being revived at the Lamb.