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 101 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.