Sussex Day Trips #3 - Rye

 I asked recommendations for places to visit from my landlady, at work, from friends and this place never came up. In fact many people did not even know it existed and that’s including the employees at London train terminals. When I asked for a ticket for Rye, they replied that the only Rye they know is the bread 😂. Finally I bought the tickets from the kiosk and the person I asked for help even followed me, curious to see if that actually existed 🫢. Two train rides later I reached Rye, the smugglers town.

The town is full of cobblestone streets and historic buildings.

They led to Mermaid street which is like the Main Street of the town. Next to small cafe at the junction, there’s some kind of studio which have interactive shows but it was closed on the day I visited. Then there is a beautiful Inn called The Mermaid Inn and I considered staying there if I couldn’t cover the place in one day. However, I walked around the town twice before evening 😁. 

My first stop was Rye castle - it is small for a castle and it kinda served more like a prison than a castle. 

Smuggling seemed to be quite common in medieval times. Commonly supported, if not glamourised, as smuggling  often depicted as unavoidable process of survival in times when taxes are levied without consideration of common people. Then again not all smugglers are Robinhoods and quite a few exploited people themselves too☹️.

There is small section of castle, little separated by a small garden, where female inmates are imprisoned. There’s an audio which plays a brief interview with one of the prisoners and it’s very sad 😔. 

Outside the castle is more regular with cannons placed around for defence.

Then there is a small castle museum tucked just few feet away.

I came across the place called the Lamb House which was the residence of the author Henry James. 

Not willing to spend the entrance fee, I went back to the Mermaid street and had a quick bite at the cafe.

Then I went to the tourist centre which has a replica of the town built by the residents and they have a light and sound show narrating various stories occurred across different parts of the town. 

Even though the stories are very common, the way they are narrated with lights and sound around the cute replica of the town made it quite lovely. 

After watching the show, I changed my mind and went to visit the Lamb House. It was a well maintained and beautiful house. 

Across the rooms are framed descriptions of major events occurred there. The fully pregnant lady of the house gave up her room when king got stranded in the town and went on labour same night. 

 

The king became baby’s godfather and presented a silver chalice. 

There is also a framed shard of vase retrieved after bombing during world war along with the painting of it before - the way they preserve their heritage and convey normal stories in creative and engaging ways is so admirable 👏🏼.

  

Then there are best views of the town church from the bedroom windows over the garden.

The garden itself is as attractive as the house and opens from the dining room. 

 

It’s almost evening by the time I came out of Lamb house. There are lots of antique shops around town and main streets lined with stores selling paintings, clothing and accessories, but most close by 5 pm. 

I ended the trip with a cocktail at oldest pub which used to be water pump. They have an extensive selection of spirits and I had a hard time picking one. 

It’s the only place which was crowded with people playing games and chatting at bar. I met a couple who own a B&B few miles away. The lady shared stories of their travels to India and told me that before the water pump got converted to pub, it was used as public restroom 🫣. 

As much tempted I was to stay for one more day or one more drink, it was past 6 and I got into the train back to London. I don’t know if I will be able to visit Rye again and, if I do, I will have a meal at the Mermaid Inn.