Rye – One of the prettiest towns along the English coast
Charlie on a historic walk through the ancient town of Rye
Charlie had been to the ancient town of Rye in East Sussex before but it was one of these places to always come back to if you like to see a beautiful, historic place with its own charm and where the clocks seem to be ticking a bit slower than in busy London.
The first time Charlie had been to Rye was in 2013 when she was living in Kent for her internship. During workshops in the office, they had been learning about English culture and traditions, amongst work related things. Of course, at the beginning of November, they talked about the Guy Fawkes night and it had been recommended by the manager in the office to visit Rye for that occasion as it was supposedly one of the best bonfire nights in the south of England.
Charlie must say that her manager during the internship had not exaggerated when she recommended Rye for a day trip. Charlie wasn’t as skilled as a photographer back then, so she decided to go down to Rye once more and to share it with you.
Charming, little town where history is protected
Once surrounded by the sea, Rye still looks like an island; situated on a hill jutting out over the landscape and therefore offering great panoramic views. It is not only what one can see from there, but also the lively past of the town that one can feel while strolling along the streets. Why don’t you join Charlie on a journey through this little town and you can travel together through the past?
To get a first impression, the tour should start at the “Rye Heritage Centre” where you can see the whole town in miniature. Take a seat and enjoy some interesting facts about the past by watching an extraordinary light show guiding you through the streets of the miniature town of Rye.
Rye in the Middle Ages
Before the Norman conquest of England, Rye was just a small fishing community surrounded by the sea. But it was destined for higher things: since its golden age as an important trading port in the 13th century, it was constantly threatened by French invasions. For this reason, a town wall with four gates had been built in the 14th century of which only the Landgate, the Ypres Tower and a small section of the town wall have subsisted. With these fortifications, the inhabitants of Rye tried to protect the town from devastating fire attacks that had been inflicted on them. Besides, the bells of St. Mary’s Church should not be stolen a second time after bringing them back to their designated place subsequent to the first robbery.
A haven for smugglers
In the 18th century, the harbour of Rye was the crossing point of luxury goods like tobacco and Rum from overseas. It was a prospering time for the town. But it had also its dark side: more goods were smuggled than legally imported. Rye became the headquarters of different smuggler gangs and some of the underground tunnels and passages still exist. And not only those can still be discovered, if you stroll around, you can see houses built in the 14th century. This place is like a historic treasure and this is not by chance: the whole town is under preservation order, i.e. the townscape hasn’t changed for centuries and will not change in the future.
Before walking around, let’s have a coffee break in one of the many coffee shops that you can find in Rye. There’s one right next to the Heritage Centre at the lower end of Mermaid Street.
Strolling through ancient streets
After a coffee break and a lovely chat with an elderly gentleman, it is time for Charlie to explore and to experience what historic protection means. A walk up the hill on Mermaid Street brings you to the highest point which is St. Mary’s Church. Friends of Charlie said when looking at pictures of Mermaid Street: “This is the reason why I want to live in England,” or “it looks like a fairytale.”
The least ancient building on this street is the Mermaid Inn, which was rebuilt in 1420. The reconstruction in that year makes it one of the most recently built houses in Rye. It is nowadays a restaurant and offers accommodation for guests.
Other houses on the same street have been given creative names. The house opposite the Mermaid Inn is call “The house opposite” and the house with two doors is called “The house with two doors”.
Take this chance to escape the rush of modern life and go back to times when Queen Elizabeth I visited the town in 1573 or when King George I spent some time accidentally in Rye in 1726. After leaving Mermaid Street, you can walk through the garden of St. Mary’s Church and enter it.
The bell tower should not be missed. Even if the ladders are very steep and the passages very narrow, the view from above is definitely worth it.
Charlie’s next stop is the Ypres Tower which houses a part of the Rye Castle Museum and which will take you a step further into history. Here, you will learn more about the constant resistance against French invasions, smugglers and the changing role of the tower throughout history. There is also a balcony from which one has a good view at the landscape, but it cannot top the view from the bell tower.
Besides, you can take a picture next to the cannons and try on some of the helmets which knights wore when defending the town in past times. The helmets were too big for Charlie’s little head but maybe it fits you?
Charlie continues the tour to the town centre, passing by the church again, taking a look into the tiniest bookshop she has ever seen (if you stop in front you might be able to smell the lavender), walking down Lion Street, where the tourist office is and then further to the High Street which hosts lots of shops in ancient buildings that all have a story to tell.
“Modern” Rye
Over time, the sea has retreated and lies now about two miles away from the town. Therefore, the surroundings have changed. There are no smugglers or French invaders anymore, but what is left is the historicity and the fairy-tale atmosphere that everybody can feel, who knows how to enjoy the nice little things in life.
Remember, remember, the 5th of November
After the stroll around town, everybody can easily imagine how history can be re-enacted in an ancient town like Rye and this is what happens every year around the 5th November. It is the Guy Fawkes Night, also called Bonfire Night.
The history behind tradition
It all goes back to the year 1605 when a group of English Catholics attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament and the government of King James I. The conspiracy wanted to replace him with a Catholic king.
The attempt failed and Guy Fawkes was found in the cellar of the House of Lords, sitting on barrels of gun powder. Although he wasn’t the only plotter, he became the face of what we now call the Gunpowder Plot and was publicly executed. The day became the English state commemoration and represented anti-Catholic sentiments for a long time. It did not go without violence over the years, but it is now a peaceful celebration everywhere in the UK. Local bonfire societies organise processions that carry their Guy Fawkes, which usually is an effigy of well-known public figures (mostly politicians), to the bonfire and light it all up. This ritual is followed by fireworks.
Bonfire Night in Rye
For the bonfire night in Rye, other bonfire societies from nearby cities, e.g. Lewes, come to this historic town for the procession. They walk along the ancient streets carrying fire torches to the green at the bottom of the hill where they start the fire in a traditional ritual.
Many people come to Rye for that night and it can get very busy. If you are trying to get a seat in one of the restaurants or pubs, you better should get there early. Otherwise, you’ll end up like Charlie and her friends that night, having a not-so-tasty burger at one of the stalls. They also enjoyed the first mulled wine of the season which was very enjoyable, as opposed to the burger. Unfortunately, even the most historic place isn’t prone to commercialisation of traditions.
Visiting Rye
Charlie highly recommends visiting Rye, no matter what time of the year. If you go in spring or summer, you can also do bird watching tours outside the town and see a bit more of the landscape.
Rye can easily be reached by train from Hastings within 15 minutes or from Ashford within 20 minutes. Both places are less than 2 hours away from London and each of them is worth a visit too. Charlie would recommend Hastings over Ashford though as it is directly by the sea with a castle on the hill and has a lot of history to tell.
