Rye
Perched on a hill in the east of Sussex, Rye, it has been said, is one of the most beautiful towns in Britain. Being such a well preserved medieval fishing town and boasting so much history, Rye is certainly one of the essential stopovers for any visitor to Sussex.
Becoming one of the "Confederation of Cinque Ports" in 1191, a group of Sussex and Kent ports that were given special privileges to provide men and material for the defence of the Channel, Rye became a very prosperous town. In the 1330s its status, together with that of neighbouring Winchelsea, was elevated to that of an "Antient town" within the new "Confederation of Cinque Ports and Two Antient Townes". Rye's decline, however, rather than stemming from French invasions, which continued until the 15 th century, but which were resisted, came from the receding sea and from virulent erosion, which denied Rye its harbour and commercial infrastructure.
But Rye's decline as a major commercial centre enabled it to be preserved in an almost time capsules of cobbled streets and timber framed houses that would never have withstood the expansion on which it was set during medieval times. For the visitor, however, this is a great blessing.
Of all the charming cobbled streets that can be found in Rye, none is greater than Mermaid Street. Built on a gentle slope, it is lined on both sides with timber framed cottages and includes the world famous Mermaid Inn that dates back to 1425. Inside the Inn can be found information boards depicting the history of the town. The Inn was used during the 18 th century as a Head Quarters of the powerful and ruthless gang of smugglers, the Hawkhurst Gang, among whose methods of terrorising people was to nail informants to the front door of their houses. At the top of Mermaid Street stands Lambs House, named after James Lamb who was mayor of Rye 13 times during the early 18 th century. The novelist, Henry James, also lived in the house where he subsequently entertained other renowned writers including HG Wells and Joseph Conrad. The house was also owned by EF Benson, the author of the Mapp and Lucia books, who set his stories in Rye, which he thinly disguised as "Tilling".
A dominant feature of the town is the Church of St Mary with its great Perpendicular window, above, which sits the oldest turret clock in England, dating back to 1562. Above the clock stand the famous Quarterboys that come out on either side of the text of the Wisdom of Solomon and chime every quarter of an hour. Although the Quaterboys are not the originals, which are now housed inside the church, they nevertheless make for a charming sight. The church's clock has an 18 feet (6 m) pendulum that is located inside the church and is said to be made out of the wreck of a Spanish ship.
Rye's Town Hall, dating back to 1742, offers another fascinating insight into the town's history. It contains several historical maces, two of which provided models for the Canadian parliament. It also houses the gibbet, irons and skull of a local murderer, John Breads, who was executed nearby in 1744, after having gone mad with a butcher's knife mistakenly killing Allan Grebell, who he thought was the mayor James Lamb, who had fined him for giving short weight.
A further building worthy of note is the Landgate, which in 1329 formed part of Rye's defences. Alongside lies the oddly named Turkeycock Lane that has a fascinating story behind its name. A monk called Cantator, allegedly possessing a fine singing voice, fell in love with a beautiful girl named Amanda. After locals discovered their affair they were buried alive. In his desperation Cantator's tried to sing but all that was heard was a strangled voice similar to that of a turkey, the voice being dubbed Cantator's ghost. The legend proved so intriguing that in modern times it was decided to see if any truth lay behind it. Amazingly two skeletons lying side by side in an embrace were indeed discovered where it was believed the couple had been buried.
For such a small town, Rye offers the visitor so much: history, culture, beautiful architecture, charm and legend. Undoubtedly it is a place not to be missed.