Rye

Back in August my friend M and I visited Rye, a pretty town on the East Sussex coast

Rye has witnessed it all: invasions, smuggling, flooding, ghosts, shipwrecks and a few more invasions. Situated on the south coast of England, and where the English Channel is at its narrowest, Rye was often the first port of call for invaders approaching from north west Europe. The French regularly attacked or raided Rye, and occasionally the Spanish did. Some attacks were devastating. In 1377, a French assault resulted in the complete desolation of the town by fire. The bells from St Mary’s Church were also stolen, but the men of Rye and the neighbouring settlement of Winchelsea sought revenge and set sail for France. The retaliation was fruitful as they returned with the bells and an assortment of other goods that had been stolen on a previous French attack!

Smuggling was rife along all coasts, and Rye, with its narrow streets and dark headlands, was an ideal place for the storage of illegal booty. The smuggling industry began when Edward I introduced the customs system in the 13th Century. The response was to smuggle goods like wool, cloth, hides, gold and silver out of the country. Further restrictions made towards the 17th Century made smuggling much more lucrative as even commonly used products like candles or beer had new tariffs forced on them. 

In 1336 in recognition of Rye’s role in defence on the south coast, the town was made a Cinque Port. This meant it became one of a group of ports on the south coast which received privileges, including exemption from tax, in return for maintaining ships for defence, a scheme originally introduced by Edward the Confessor in the 11th Century.

The Ypres tower. The view of the bustling harbour (now farmland) and then out to sea would have been a distinct advantage. The building was thought to have been intended as part of a defensive castle that never materialised. Unlike the walls, the tower survived time and further attacks from the French.

Mermaid Street, one of the prettiest (and steepest) in the town.

Most of the houses are medieval, half-timbered houses,

one of which was once owned by writer Henry James.

These days the only invaders are tourists.

~ Be warm and well~

Polly x