Rye, East Sussex

Rye
The Ypres tower, Rother, Rye Harbour and marshes seen from the tower of St Mary's Church, Rye
Rye is located in East Sussex
Rye
Rye
Location within East Sussex
Area4.2 km2 (1.6 sq mi) [1]
Population9,041 (Parish-2012)[1]
• Density2,810/sq mi (1,080/km2)
OS grid referenceTQ920206
• London53 miles (85 km) NW
Civil parish
  • Rye
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townRYE
Postcode districtTN31
Dialling code01797
PoliceSussex
FireEast Sussex
AmbulanceSouth East Coast
UK Parliament
WebsiteTown Council
List of places
UK
England
East Sussex
50°57′N 0°44′E / 50.95°N 0.73°E / 50.95; 0.73

Rye is a town and civil parish in the Rother district of East Sussex, England, two miles (three kilometres) from the sea at the confluence of three rivers: the Rother, the Tillingham and the Brede. An important member of the mediaeval Cinque Ports confederation, it was at the head of an embayment of the English Channel, and almost entirely surrounded by the sea.

At the 2011 census, Rye had a population of 4,773.[2] Its historical association with the sea has included providing ships for the service of the Crown in time of war, and being involved in smuggling. The notorious Hawkhurst Gang used its ancient inns The Mermaid Inn and The Olde Bell Inn, which are said to be connected to each other by a secret passageway.

Those historic roots and its charm make it a tourist destination, with hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, tea rooms, and restaurants.[3] Rye has a small fishing fleet, and Rye Harbour has facilities for yachts and other vessels.

  1. ^ a b "East Sussex in Figures". East Sussex County Council. Archived from the original on 28 December 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  2. ^ "Rye (East Sussex, South East England, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics and Location in Maps and Charts". Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  3. ^ "Visit Rye, East Sussex - Visit1066Country.com". Archived from the original on 15 December 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2021.