Rye Travel Guide

Trek Zone

Town

Facts and practical information

Nestled along the picturesque coastline of East Sussex, the charming town of Rye is a hidden gem in the heart of the United Kingdom. With its cobbled streets, medieval architecture, and rich history, Rye offers visitors a truly unique and authentic experience.

Step back in time as you wander through the narrow lanes of the town, lined with half-timbered houses and ancient buildings. The imposing Rye Castle, dating back to the 13th century, stands proudly at the top of the hill, offering panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and the shimmering waters of the English Channel.

History buffs will be captivated by Rye's fascinating past. The town was once a bustling port and an important center for trade during the medieval period. Its strategic location made it a frequent target for invaders, resulting in the construction of an impressive fortification system. Explore the remnants of the town walls and visit the Ypres Tower, a medieval stronghold that now houses the Rye Castle Museum, showcasing artifacts and exhibits that bring Rye's history to life.

For art enthusiasts, Rye offers a vibrant arts scene. The town has long been a haven for artists, drawn to its picturesque landscapes and historic charm. Visit the Rye Art Gallery, housed in a beautiful Georgian building, and discover an impressive collection of works by local artists as well as renowned British painters.

No visit to Rye would be complete without indulging in its culinary delights. The town boasts a variety of quaint tea rooms, traditional pubs, and fine dining establishments, offering a taste of both local and international cuisine. Sample freshly caught seafood, savor traditional English afternoon tea, or treat yourself to a hearty pub lunch in one of the town's atmospheric watering holes.

Nature lovers will find plenty to explore in the surrounding countryside. Take a leisurely stroll along the sandy beaches of Camber Sands, a popular spot for sunbathing and water sports. Alternatively, venture further afield and discover the stunning beauty of the Romney Marsh, a unique wetland habitat teeming with wildlife and dotted with picturesque villages.

Alternative names: Population: 4.8 thous.Area: 1.62 mi²Elevation: 56 ft a.s.l.Coordinates: 50°57'4"N, 0°44'1"E

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EnglandUnited Kingdom

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Rye Top Attractions

Rye Attractions - What to See and Explore

Rye offers many attractions and places to visit. Here are the most important ones: Great Dixter, Camber Castle, Lamb House, Rye Castle Museum. Below you will find a complete list of places worth visiting.

Museum • History museum • Garden
Great Dixter
Great Dixter is a house in Northiam, East Sussex, England. It was built in 1910–12 by architect Edwin Lutyens, who combined an existing mid-15th century house on the site with a similar structure brought from Benenden, Kent, together with his own additions.
Forts and castles
Camber Castle
Camber Castle, also known formerly as Winchelsea Castle, is a 16th-century Device Fort, built near Rye by King Henry VIII to protect the Sussex coast of England against French attack.
Museum • History museum • Historical place
Lamb House
Lamb House is a Grade II* listed 18th-century house situated in Rye, East Sussex, England, and in the ownership of the National Trust. The house is run as a writer's house museum. It has been the home of many writers, including Henry James from 1897 to 1914, and later E.F. Benson.

Museum • History museum • Forts and castles
Rye Castle Museum
Rye Castle, also known as Ypres Tower, was built in the 13th or 14th centuries, and is situated in Rye, East Sussex, England. It is a Grade I listed building and has been scheduled as an ancient monument.
Church • Romanesque architecture
St Anthony of Padua
St Anthony of Padua Church is a Roman Catholic Parish church in Rye, East Sussex, England. It was constructed from 1927 to 1929 and replaced a church built in 1900. It is situated on Watchbell Street to the south of Lamb House. It is served by the Conventual Franciscans and is a Grade II listed building.
Museum • Art gallery
Rye Pottery
The Rye Pottery is a pottery in Rye, East Sussex, England, known as the Cadborough Pottery or "Rye Pottery" from its beginnings in c. 1834 to 1876, and Belle Vue Pottery from 1869 until it closed in 1939. It was revived as the "Rye pottery" in 1947 by the brothers Walter and John Cole, who became known for their tinglazed wares.
Bridge
Monk Bretton Bridge
The Monk Bretton Bridge is a road bridge over the River Rother in Rye, East Sussex. It carries the A259 road, a major road between Folkestone and Hastings, and is the most downstream crossing of the river. The area around the river beyond this resembles saltmarsh compared to that further upstream.
Church
Rye Particular Baptist Chapel
Rye Particular Baptist Chapel is a former Strict Baptist place of worship in Rye, an ancient hilltop town in Rother, one of six local government districts in the English county of East Sussex.
Windmill
Gibbet Mill
Gibbet Mill, Tillingham Mill, Barry's Mill or New Mill is a grade II listed cosmetically reconstructed smock mill at Rye, East Sussex, England. Today it serves as bed and breakfast accommodation.
Monastery
Rye Austin Friary
Rye Austin Friary was an Augustinian friary in Conduit Street, Rye, East Sussex, England. Founded at an earlier site on the East cliff in 1364, the community transferred to the new site in town c.1380, but was dissolved in 1538 as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
50°57'0"N • 0°44'6"E
Eorpeburnan
Eorpeburnan is the first place identified in the Burghal Hidage, a document created in the late 9th or early 10th century, that provides a list of thirty one fortified places in Wessex.
Tower
Martello Tower
Martello towers, sometimes known simply as Martellos, are small defensive forts that were built across the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the French Revolutionary Wars onwards. Most were coastal forts.
Town
Winchelsea
Winchelsea is a small town in the non-metropolitan county of East Sussex, within the historic county of Sussex, England, located between the High Weald and the Romney Marsh, approximately 2 miles south west of Rye and 7 miles north east of Hastings.
Windmill
Hogg Hill Mill
Hogg Hill Mill is a post mill at Icklesham in East Sussex, England.
50°57'5"N • 0°44'5"E
Purdie Gallery
Museum • Shopping • Art shops
Park
Rye Harbour SSSI
Rye Harbour Site of Special Scientific Interest is a nature reserve located on the western side of the mouth of the River Rother at Rye Harbour, about 1 mile downstream from Rye East Sussex.
50°55'12"N • 0°42'25"E
Winchelsea Cutting
Winchelsea Cutting is a 0.15-hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the southern outskirts of Winchelsea in East Sussex. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.
50°57'43"N • 0°43'1"E
Leasam Heronry Wood
Leasam Heronry Wood is a 2.1-hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-west of Rye in East Sussex. This wood is not long established but it contains a nationally important heronry.
50°58'5"N • 0°45'4"E
Houghton Green Cliff
Houghton Green Cliff is a 0.14-hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest north of Rye in East Sussex. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.

Day trips

Rye – popular in the area (distance from the center)

In the vicinity of Rye, it's worth seeing attractions such as: Canterbury Cathedral (Canterbury), Leeds Castle (Maidstone), Bodiam Castle (Robertsbridge).

27 milesNE
Norman-era building with ornate windows
Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury
Canterbury Cathedral, a beacon of English history and spirituality, stands in the heart of the medieval city of Canterbury, England. This majestic cathedral is the mother church of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, a...
21 milesN
Historic landmark with a moat and maze
Leeds Castle, Maidstone
Leeds Castle, often referred to as "the loveliest castle in the world," is a quintessential historical attraction nestled in the charming countryside of Maidstone, Kent, in England. This impressive stone fortress, surrounded by a picturesque moat and set within acres...
9 miNW
Forts and castles, Historical place
Bodiam Castle, Robertsbridge
Bodiam Castle stands as an archetypal medieval fortress surrounded by a broad, serene moat in the heart of East Sussex, near the village of Robertsbridge, United Kingdom. This 14th-century castle, built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III...
16 milesW
Historical place, History museum, Museum
Bateman's, Burwash
Nestled in the heart of the East Sussex countryside, Bateman's is a charming 17th-century house that once served as the home of the famous writer Rudyard Kipling. Located in the quaint village of Burwash, the Jacobean building is constructed from the local sandstone...
28 milesNE
Museum, Forts and castles, Historical place
Dover Castle, Dover
Dover Castle, perched atop the iconic white cliffs of Dover, is a monumental testament to medieval architecture and English heritage. As one of the largest castles in England, it has been strategically significant since its initial construction in the 11th century.