Rye

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Overview

Possibly southeast England’s quaintest town, Rye is a little nugget of the past, a medieval settlement that looks like someone hit the pause button on time. Even the most hard-boiled cynic can’t fail to be softened by Rye’s cobbled lanes, mysterious passageways and crooked half-timbered Tudor buildings. Tales of resident smugglers, ghosts, writers and artists abound.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Lamb House

Rye

This Georgian town house is a favourite stomping ground for local apparitions, but its most famous resident was American writer Henry James, who lived…

Ypres Tower

Rye

Just off Church Sq stands the sandcastle-esque Ypres Tower (pronounced ‘wipers’). You can scramble through the 13th-century building to learn about its…

Church of St Mary the Virgin

Rye

Rye’s welcoming, community hub of a church is a hotchpotch of medieval and later styles. Its turret clock is the oldest in England (1561) still working…

Mermaid Street

Rye

Most start their exploration of Rye on famous Mermaid St, a short walk from the Rye Heritage Centre. It bristles with 15th-century timber-framed houses…

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