Rye
Rye
Rye in east Sussex was an important member of the Cinque Ports confederation and in medieval times was an important port. It is hard to believe now sitting on top of a hill as it does above the marches at the confluence of three rivers the Rother, Tillingham and Brede, that the town has a long association with the sea.
The town was surrounded by the marches but attempts to drain them succeeded and now it sits a mile inland. Rye is still a port as its boats access the sea along the Rother.
Rye is full of charm and character with many old buildings to see such as the mermaid inn and the Olde Bell Inn once frequented by smuggling gangs such as the notorious Hawkhursts they were connected by secret passages.
You can walk the narrow cobble streets of this picturesque town passing lovely Tudor buildings at every turn stroll past the old grammar school, the town hall or pay a visit to the churchyard of St Marys and listen for the gilded Quarter boys striking the quarter hours.
Rye is famous not just for the smugglers but also writers, the American novelist Henry James for 9 years had his home at the 18th century Lambe house as did E F Benson author of Mapp and Lucia books based around Rye. The author Rumer Godden also lived here it is perhaps because of theses literary association’s that Rye has its own annual literary festival.
Activities in Rye
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