insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 10 - December 2015 | Page 101
TOWNSPOTLIGHT
S P OT L I G H T
O N
RYE
BY LISAMARIE LAMB
Rye in East Sussex is a medieval port town, and evidence of that is still very much on show. One
of the famous Cinque Ports, Rye has always been a popular destination for travellers, and that
includes royalty; plenty of kings and queens have visited the town, and its royal status shows just
how well loved it was, and still is.
That came from Elizabeth I, who had only stayed in Rye for three days before she bestowed its
royal title upon it. Located just two miles away from the sea, but with its own harbour, and yet
with views of rolling Sussex countryside, this idyllic town is able to capture the hearts and minds
of everyone who passes through.
History in Brief
Although the reasoning behind the name Rye
is a little unsure, shrouded in the mists of time
as it is, it is thought to have come from the Old
English word ‘rie’ which means ‘bank’. Rye has
always been important in terms of shipping and
storage, but it was also well known for its iron.
Because of this, it was a settlement very early
on, and has never been empty of civilisation
since Roman times.
The town began to really grow in 1189 when it
was granted ‘limb’ status of the Cinque Ports
Confederation. It would go on to become a full
member, but limb status was enough to excite
the innovators and business-minded people
who flocked to the town to set up their own
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public houses, hotels, guest houses, shops,
and, of course, shipbuilding companies. Some
of them, including The Mermaid Inn, still exist
to this day.
Rye rode high in the domain of the Cinque
Ports, quickly establishing itself as a favourite.
But with larger and larger ships needing to be
built, and more and more produce being both
imported and exported, it couldn’t last. That’s
because the river and harbour were constantly
filling with silt, and it was a full time job to
remove it. The larger ships simply couldn’t fit,
even when the river was clear. Ever resourceful,
the people of Rye exchanged shipbuilding for
fishing (and smuggling), and soon Rye was
booming once more.