I first discovered Rye in early October 2014, when my then-partner and I were staying in Hawkhurst for a few days and decided, on a whim, to go see it. I’m so glad we did, because as soon as we saw the outline of the church topping the hill, we fell in love with the place, and I’m still utterly smitten. After that initial flying visit we stayed in town for several days each year from 2015-2019 and again in 2021 (the last time we went anywhere as a couple), and I’ve been back in 2022 and, well, just now.
What’s so special about this town? Where to begin… firstly, it’s historic and to spare: there are nearly 300 listed buildings in town and a huge percentage of those are centuries old (example: the Mermaid Inn was re-built in 1420). Further, it’s very compact – you can walk from one side to the other in less than fifteen minutes – and there are very few national chain shops (Boots is the only one that springs to mind, and even the supermarket, Jempsons, is local) thus the shopping is a varied experience.
But… it’s more than that. You just have to experience Rye to fully appreciate why it’s so special. Granted, in high summer it’s tourist central but even then, it’s still delightful. What’s not to love about a place that has a yearly scallop festival and on bonfire night burns not a guy but a full-sized wooden fishing trawler? That’s without mentioning Marinos, the best chippy in the known universe (fact) and Hoof, where the burgers were probably mooing on Romney Marsh the previous day. That fresh, that local, and utterly delicious. Pretty much the whole town is a visual delight with unexpected finds around every corner: unsurprisingly it’s well stocked with art shops and galleries. I love it, very much, even when the weather is less than kind, as it was this last visit, for even in the rain Rye is lovely.
Are there any downsides? Well, for me, yes, as over the last few years two outstanding second-hand bookshops have closed as has the wonderful Strand Antiques, and of course the town isn’t immune to the blight of empty shops, but that said, it’s still one of my very favourite places, easily up there with Ludlow in my affections. Would I like to live there? In a heartbeat… or at least spend some extended spells there, say two three weeks, maybe a month. My only regret is that it took me 59 years to discover the place.
