2011 official guide to East Sussex Medieval gem of the Cinque Ports 1066 Country www.visitrye.co.uk www.visit1066country.com/rye How to get here By Train By Taxi Trains depart from London Charing Cross, London For details of taxi services contact Rye TIC Award winning Rye Tourist Information Centre are pleased to welcome Bridge, St Pancras (High Speed Link) and Waterloo during office hours: 01797 229049. visitors to the town. Feel free to drop in and meet our staff who will East (change at Ashford International for Rye) be delighted to enhance your stay in this beautiful historic town and approx 1hr 5mins. Trains also depart from London By Sea surrounding area. Victoria and Gatwick Airport (change at Hastings for Rye). The Harbour of Rye is open to visiting boats. We are pleased to offer an accommodation booking service, audio Rail information: 08457 484950 For more information contact the Harbour tours, a well stocked gift shop with locally produced arts and crafts, www.nationalrail.co.uk office, 01797 225225 or email maps and publications, a booking service for local theatres, coach trips [email protected] and events, and free literature on what to see and do in the area. By Bus Bus enquiry line: 0870 6082608 By Bicycle Rye Tourist Information Centre Rye can easily be reached using National By Road 4/5 Lion Street (just below St Mary’s Church), Rye is situated on the A259 between Hastings to Cycle Network Route 2. Rye TN31 7LB 01797 229049 the west and Folkestone to the east and on the For further information contact Sustrans A268 from the north. Information Line: 0845 113 0065 www.visitrye.co.uk [email protected] Visit www.theaa.co.uk for a detailed route planner email [email protected] to Rye from your starting destination. From London/ www.sustrans.org.uk or M25, take the A21 or M20 and follow signs to Rye. East Sussex County Council: 01273 Upon arrival, follow signs to Rye’s main visitor car 482652, email [email protected] Get the free Visit Rye app park, Gibbet Marsh (210 spaces). www.travelchoice.org/cycling from the iPhone App Store. For outstanding What to see and do accommodation, LONDON in the Rye Bay area, restaurants, cafes and bars. the best places to M20 eat, amusements for M25 Ramsgate www.ryeguide.co.uk M2 M26 Ramsgate - Ostend children and adults Canterbury M25 and the most romantic A249 Maidstone A21 [email protected] A28 places to stay. M20 A2 M23 Gatwick A259 Ashford Tunbridge Dover A28 Wells A262 Dover - Dunk A22 A26 B2086 A2070 irk Folkestone A268 Tenterden A259 Channel Tu A21 A28 A268 nnel ppe A23 e Battle B2089 A26 A22 A259 Rye ver - Di Calais Do A27 A27 A259 Hastings Brighton Bexhill Newhaven Eastbourne Newhaven - Dieppe Boulogne 2 Official Rye Guide 2011 www.visitrye.co.uk 3 Dieppe Exploring 1066 Country Welcome to Rye With a spectacular combination of coast and countryside that’s scattered with relics and ruins from the past, 1066 Medieval Gem of the Cinque Ports Country is the kind of place where you don’t just learn about history, you live it. Known world-wide for its heritage, 1066 Country offers visitors a rich historical experience. Perched on a hill, the medieval town of Rye is the sort of place you thought existed only in Herstmonceux Bexhill-on-Sea your imagination. Almost suspended in time, Rye’s unhurried atmosphere and enchanting streets draw visitors with their warm welcome. It’s small enough to make you feel at home almost straight away but holds enough secret treasures to entice you to stay much longer. When you’re in need of a treat or want to escape the pressures of modern life, come to Rye. With around 5000 inhabitants, it retains a village atmosphere and old-fashioned Rye values. A town to be explored and enjoyed on foot. Hastings www.visitrye.co.uk Contents Attractions p6 Going Out p16 Accommodation section Hotels p28 History p10 Shopping & Leisure p20 Pevensey Battle B&B / Guesthouses p31 Rye is a maritime maze of Medieval and Art & Literature p12 Events p22 Self Catering p38 Georgian buildings. The thriving market town of Battle is home to the very spot where King Coast & Countryside p14 Rye Town Centre Map p24 Rye area map p42 Harold fell during the fateful conflict. The Edwardian seaside resort of Bexhill-on-Sea is the birthplace of British motor racing. The quiet village of Burwash hosts Rudyard Kipling’s house ‘Batemans’. Europe’s largest beach-launched fishing fleet can be seen in Hastings where you can also enjoy the picturesque Old Town. Bodiam Herstmonceux is the perfect place for visitors to lose themselves in the magic and mystery of modern science. Northiam is a rich tapestry of thatched cottages and country pubs. Pevensey was the landing point for both the Romans and the Normans. And you must not miss the fairytale castle of Bodiam. Visit 1066 Country and you will do far more than Details correct at time of going to press, subject to change. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy in the production of this guide, no liability for any error, omission or inaccuracy can be accepted. learn about history, you’ll live it. Produced by 1066 Country Marketing for the Rye Marketing Group - November 2010. Supported by Rother District Council, 1066 Country Marketing, Rye Town Council, Rye Chamber of Commerce and Rye Hotels & Caterers Association. Printed on FSC recycled paper. Photographs supplied by Clive Sawyer, Bob Mazzer, Chris Parker and Tony Coombes. Text © Rye Marketing Group. Burwash www.visit1066country.com Cover photograph © 2009 Oliver Campion, Domain Support Ltd 4 Official Rye Guide 2011 www.visitrye.co.uk 5 TO LONDON AND GATWICK AIRPORT M25 For more information about the attractions listed, follow links 10 on www.visitrye.co.uk or www.visit1066country.com/rye 11 A268 9 29 Smugglers Adventure, 7 Hastings 12 TO ASHFORD Hurst Greenn INTERNATIONAL STATION 30 Clambers Play Centre, BODIAMBO AM Hastings 8 14 A268 42 Burwash 13 TO THE CHANNEL TUNNEL 31 Shipwreck Museum, 15 NNorthiam AND DOVER Hastings 13 41 A265 Robertsbridge A229 M20 Peasmarshmarsh 32 Hastings Castle and 1066 A21 Story A259A Heathfield BrighBrightlingighghtlin A28 Playden 44 42 RYR E 33 Hastings Adventure Golf 6 Complex 22 Broadoad Oak 48 20 Udimoredimore 16 45 34 Flower Makers Museum, 10666 COCOOUNTUUNNTRNNT23 BredeTRRY 49 Horam 46 Hastings Old Town 47 50 CaCamber 17 SSedlescombee mbe Winchelseaea 35 White Rock Theatre, A267 19 Hastings 21 24 14 Kent & East Sussex Railway, Catsfield BATTLEE 18 Icklesham WeWeseestfield A259 Northiam 36 Flamingo Fun Park, Hastings old Town Herstmonceux 15 Great Dixter House & 24 Pett Gardens, Northiam 37 East & West Hill Lifts, 1 Stonecross Windmill Crowhurst 311 Hastings Old Town Ninfield 300 32 16 Battle Golf Club 299 2 Pevensey Courthouse 4 5 A271A 33 Fairlight 38 Fishermen’s Museum, A269 Museum 17 Battle Museum of Local 34 Hastings Old Town History Hooe 3 Pevensey Castle 35 39 Blue Reef Aquarium, HASTINGSASTINSTSTINING 18 1066 Battle of Hastings, 40 4 Herstmonceux Castle - Hastings Old Town 23 366 Abbey & Battlefield A259 22 377 grounds and gardens TO NEWHAVEN 388 3939 40 Hastings Old Town Hall PEVENSEYPEVE BEXHILL-ON-SEABEXXHILL 19 Yesterday’s World, Battle Museum AND BRIGHTON 1 5 The Observatory Science Normans Bay Centre, Herstmonceux A27 20 Sedlescombe Organic 41 Beckley High Woods 3 Vineyard 2 6 Fuller’s Follies, Brightling 42 Royal Military Canal 21 Sedlescombe Golf Club 7 King Johns Garden & ENGLISH 43 Rye Art Gallery Nursery, Ticehurst 22 Brede High Woods 44 Rye Castle Museum CHANNEL 8 Batemans, Burwash 23 Giants of Brede (steam engines) 45 Rye Heritage Centre 9 Pashley Manor Gardens, Ticehurst 24 Carr Taylor Vineyards, 46 Winchelsea Court Hall Westfield Museum 10 Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest 25 Bexhill Museum 47 Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and Camber Castle 11 Merriments Gardens, 26 De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill Hurst Green 48 Lamb House, Rye attractions 27 Beauport Golf Course 50 12 Bodiam Castle 49 Rye Golf Club 28 Hastings Museum & Art in Rye & 1066 Country 13 River Rother Gallery 50 Camber beach 6 Official Rye Guide 2011 www.visitrye.co.uk 7 Kent & East Sussex Railway Rye Castle Museum The picturesque line weaves between Tenterden and Bodiam 1 for 10 ⁄2 miles. Experience travel Rye Heritage Centre and service from a bygone age aboard beautifully restored Located at Strand Quay the Rye Heritage Information & Education coaches and locomotives dating from Victorian times. Centre is the home of the unique Rye Town Model Sound & Light Tel: 01580 765155 Show, personal Audio Walks, collection of working ‘Old Pier’ amusement machines Fax: 01580 765654 & gift shop. Our team also provide visitors with a wide range of local information on [email protected] things to see & do. We also offer a local accommodation booking service. www.kesr.org.uk TOWN MODEL - GHOSTS, SMUGGLERS, INVASION & MURDER The Museum has two sites: Ypres Tower, built in 1249 as A perfect way to start your visit to Rye, the Sound & Light show gives pleasure to thousands of part of the town’s defences, and East Street, where we visitors each year. Bringing 700 years of Rye’s history to life centred on the beautifully crafted Town display items from our collections. At the Tower view its Model. Shows run every half hour available in English, French, German or Spanish. history as a castle, and gaol. At East Street see Rye’s 18th century fire-engine, how the town has changed over the OLD PIER WORKING MODELS centuries, and special exhibitions.