Sometimes I feel the urge to escape into a storybook, to remind myself that I live in a place full of history and charm. Rye is one of those places where you could just wander the streets, perhaps popping into a café for brunch, do a little window shopping, visit a tea room in the late afternoon, and then call it a day and be perfectly happy. You will see from these first few photos that we did all of the above.
The streets and tea rooms are lovely, but there are some historical places you should take in while in Rye. I think it’s safe to say that we could all use a bit of distraction right now. So, whether you’re in the position to pop over to Rye for a weekend, or you’re enjoying a virtual escape through your screen, I’ve highlighted below, a few main attractions from this gorgeous, East Sussex village near the sea.
Mermaid Street
Rye is a fairly easy day-trip from London, but this little medieval town is not the tourist trap you might expect it to be. However, thanks to the highly Instagramable appeal of Mermaid Street, I suspect its popularity has increased over recent years.
The cobbled street with lopsided Tudor architecture is undeniably adorable, but the real fascination with Mermaid Street should be the fact that the Mermaid Inn is thought to have been built in 1156, and was used by the notorious Hawkhurst Gang of smugglers, in the 1730s and 1740s, as one of their strongholds. And without a doubt, it must be haunted, right?
Church of St. Mary the Virgin
This church is a central community hub for the town of Rye and is a mixture of medieval and other styles. The turret clock, which is still in working order, is the oldest in England (1561). It swings above your head as you enter. We climbed the narrow tower for a nice view of the town and surrounding area. The church also contains a small exhibition of interesting historical objects.
Ypres Tower
Thought to have been built during the reign of King Henry III in 1249, Ypres Tower is also known as Rye Castle. This might be because nobody wants to butcher the pronunciation of Ypres. Here, you can amble through the 13th-century stone building to learn about its long history as a fort, prison, mortuary and museum. You will also find one of the last surviving Victorian women’s prisons in the country, which provides a visual and audible experience of what it might have been like to be imprisoned there. From the tower, there are wide views of Rye Bay, and even France on a very clear day.
Lamb House
The National Trust always does an incredible job at preservation and storytelling and Lamb House is no exception. This Grade II listed, Georgian town house was a favourite place for many writers and artists, the most famous being American writer Henry James, who lived here from 1898 to 1916, during which time he wrote The Wings of the Dove.
My favourite story about Lamb House is this (taken from the National Trust website):
“When King George I’s ship was driven onto Camber Sands by a storm in 1726, Lamb House was considered to be the most suitable local accommodation on offer. And despite the fact that James Lamb’s wife was heavily pregnant, their bed was given to the King. That very night, she gave birth to the aptly-named George Lamb. Due to heavy snow the King attended his baptism two days later, and presented a silver gilt bowl [which is on display at Lamb House], along with 100 guineas, to the family as a gift.”
The walled garden had gorgeous late-summer dahlias on display and also has a tea room. For budding writers, they currently offer writing spaces and courses. Find out more about a visit to Lamb House.
Camber Sands
Just a short drive from Rye, are the scenic, wide beaches of Camber Sands. We managed to catch the sunset here on a warmish evening. I’m not sure there could be a better way to end such a wonderful day.
We opted to stay overnight so that we could enjoy the beach the next day too, which I would highly recommend.
