Sights in Rye
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A
Mermaid St
From the tourist office, turn away from the water through Strand Quay, and clamber up the famous cobbled Mermaid St, thick with 15th-century timber-framed houses with quirky house names like 'The House with Two Front Doors', 'The House Opposite' and more.
reviewed
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B
Ypres Tower
Just off Church Sq stands the sandcastle-esque Ypres Tower (pronounced 'wipers'). This 13th-century building looks out over Romney Marsh and Rye Bay, and houses one part of Rye Museum. It's overseen by a friendly warden, who's full of colourful tales from the tower's long history as fort, prison, mortuary and museum (the last two at overlapping times). New exhibitions dedicated to women and children in Rye and a medieval garden are planned. The other branch of the museum, a short stroll away on East St, is home to an 18th-century leather fire engine and other intriguing loot.
reviewed
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C
Lamb House
This Georgian town house is a favourite stomping ground for local apparitions, but not that of its most famous resident, American writer Henry James, who lived here from 1898 to 1916, during which time he wrote The Wings of the Dove.
reviewed
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D
Church of St Mary the Virgin
Rye's church is a hotchpotch of medieval and later styles and its turret clock is the oldest in England (1561) still working with its original pendulum, which swings above your head as you enter. Climb the tower for panoramic views of the town and surroundings.
reviewed
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E
Friars of the Sack
Cobbled Church Sq is ringed by historic houses, including the Friars of the Sack, which was once part of a 13th-century Augustinian friary but is now a private home.
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F
Landgate
At the northeastern edge of the village, the thickset pale-stone Landgate dates from 1329, and is the only remaining gate out of four.
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Ypres Tower Museum
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