Trelawny then adopted a more ascetic life and moved to Sompting, Sussex. As he grew old he remained active. He did not hire a housekeeper until he was very old. He regularly swam, chopped wood, and dug in his gardens. He remained active into his eighties. He made his garden into a bird sanctuary and did not allow hunters onto his property. He was very friendly with the neighbourhood children and often gave them sweets. He corresponded with Claire regularly from 1859 until 1876. He unsuccessfully tried to persuade Claire to write a biography of him.