Guidebook for Rye - all this just a few steps away!
Drinks & Supper at our local!
When you arrive at the cottage there is a lovely local inn just steps away. Great food and wine and local ales.
We love eating here. Great local vibe, great food and ales (try a pint of Farmers - it’s only available here in this pub). Always a warm welcome and a lovely cheerful atmosphere. A favourite of ours.
61 locals recommend
The Standard Inn
The MintWe love eating here. Great local vibe, great food and ales (try a pint of Farmers - it’s only available here in this pub). Always a warm welcome and a lovely cheerful atmosphere. A favourite of ours.
Food Scene
There are some great places to eat in Rye. Here are some of our favourites.
The best fish and chips - anywhere possibly! Eat in or takeaway.
31 locals recommend
Marino's Fish Bar
37 The MintThe best fish and chips - anywhere possibly! Eat in or takeaway.
We adore the Globe Inn Marsh, just a short walk (5 minutes) from the cottage. We love the coastal inspired theme and the relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Great food, log fires, and a pretty courtyard to sit out in the summer months.
95 locals recommend
The Globe Inn Marsh Rye
10 Military RdWe adore the Globe Inn Marsh, just a short walk (5 minutes) from the cottage. We love the coastal inspired theme and the relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Great food, log fires, and a pretty courtyard to sit out in the summer months.
Absolutely great fish restaurant, wonderful fish cookery school, excellent fish preparation and cookery classes.
44 locals recommend
Webbe's at The Fish Cafe
17 Tower StAbsolutely great fish restaurant, wonderful fish cookery school, excellent fish preparation and cookery classes.
We love the "build your own breakfast", the porridge, pancakes, coffee and cakes. The Lazy Baker bakes the best sourdough bread here too!
24 locals recommend
Whitehouse Rye
24 High StWe love the "build your own breakfast", the porridge, pancakes, coffee and cakes. The Lazy Baker bakes the best sourdough bread here too!
We absolutely love the Fig for breakfast, brunch and coffee, or for a cup of tea and slice of cake. Really good freshly made food. Soups, salads, and our very favourite brunch of halloumi, poached eggs, guacamole and tomatoes - delicious!
54 locals recommend
The Fig
2 High StWe absolutely love the Fig for breakfast, brunch and coffee, or for a cup of tea and slice of cake. Really good freshly made food. Soups, salads, and our very favourite brunch of halloumi, poached eggs, guacamole and tomatoes - delicious!
A seriously ancient inn - re-built in 1435. We like to have a drink here by the enormous inglenook fireplace or, in the summer, in the courtyard.
58 locals recommend
The Ship Inn
StrandA seriously ancient inn - re-built in 1435. We like to have a drink here by the enormous inglenook fireplace or, in the summer, in the courtyard.
Excellent bistro sourcing local food from surrounding farms, the marshes and of course Rye's own fishing fleet.
27 locals recommend
Landgate Bistro
5/6 LandgateExcellent bistro sourcing local food from surrounding farms, the marshes and of course Rye's own fishing fleet.
Sightseeing
Beautiful church with tower that you can climb and see the view of Rye. Stained glass windows, wonderful history, clock, quarter boys chimes, swinging pendulum, beautiful churchyard, good concerts.
25 locals recommend
Saint Mary's Church
Church SquareBeautiful church with tower that you can climb and see the view of Rye. Stained glass windows, wonderful history, clock, quarter boys chimes, swinging pendulum, beautiful churchyard, good concerts.
Beautiful historic street with wonderful Tudor architecture. Camera at the ready. This is one of the most beautiful streets in England.
7 locals recommend
Mermaid Street
Mermaid StreetBeautiful historic street with wonderful Tudor architecture. Camera at the ready. This is one of the most beautiful streets in England.
Built in 1249 as part of the defence against the frequent raids by the french. It has also been a prison and now is a museum.
41 locals recommend
Rye Castle Museum - Ypres Tower
Built in 1249 as part of the defence against the frequent raids by the french. It has also been a prison and now is a museum.
Lamb House, the home of Henry James and also E F Benson (creator of the colourful characters Mapp and Lucia who also ‘lived’ here!) we love it. The upstairs has just been opened up to the public, the garden is tranquil and it’s a ‘must see’ when in Rye.
32 locals recommend
Lamb House
West StreetLamb House, the home of Henry James and also E F Benson (creator of the colourful characters Mapp and Lucia who also ‘lived’ here!) we love it. The upstairs has just been opened up to the public, the garden is tranquil and it’s a ‘must see’ when in Rye.
Parks & Nature
A wonderful place to bird watch and walk. (Voted as one of the best Boxing Day walks in the UK in the Times.) Glorious open skies, plenty of fresh sea air. Bird hide, a fabulous new visitor centre is currently being built.
92 locals recommend
Rye Harbour Nature Reserve
Harbour RoadA wonderful place to bird watch and walk. (Voted as one of the best Boxing Day walks in the UK in the Times.) Glorious open skies, plenty of fresh sea air. Bird hide, a fabulous new visitor centre is currently being built.
Great open space, England’s only desert. Ten minute drive from Rye. Walk on the huge pebble beach, visit the lighthouse, watch the fishermen, visit Dungeness art studio, view the enormous power station, lunch at the Dungeness Fish Shack. Ride on the narrow gauge Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway. The sky at night is a haven for star gazing.
120 locals recommend
Dungeness
Great open space, England’s only desert. Ten minute drive from Rye. Walk on the huge pebble beach, visit the lighthouse, watch the fishermen, visit Dungeness art studio, view the enormous power station, lunch at the Dungeness Fish Shack. Ride on the narrow gauge Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway. The sky at night is a haven for star gazing.
Visit the historic sound mirrors on Romney Marsh. The acoustic mirrors were built between 1916 -1930 as listening ears, intended to provide early warning of incoming enemy aircraft.
6 locals recommend
Greatstone
Visit the historic sound mirrors on Romney Marsh. The acoustic mirrors were built between 1916 -1930 as listening ears, intended to provide early warning of incoming enemy aircraft.
Shopping
An old fashioned sweet shop - a delight! Enjoy a chat with Tony the sweet vendor, a stalwart of the Rye community! Take away a few of your favourite old fashioned sweets. A trip down memory lane! - Britcher and Rivers.
Some of our other favourites!
If it’s a hat you’re after then Herald and Heart is a must! They create the most superb hats (most famously a hat made for the film Four Weddings and a Funeral).
Gorgeous ladies wear from Cordelia James.
Stylish menswear from WJ Bennett.
Grammar School Records - a haven of music memorabilia, vinyls, cds, videos, cassettes. Great knowledge from the staff.
Adams Newsagents and toy shop - a wonderful shop evoking memories of childhood treats.
Penny Royal - traditional haberdashers and craft shop upstairs and gift and card shop downstairs.
Ethel Loves Me - a treasure trove of wonderful local crafts and arts.
High Street
High StreetAn old fashioned sweet shop - a delight! Enjoy a chat with Tony the sweet vendor, a stalwart of the Rye community! Take away a few of your favourite old fashioned sweets. A trip down memory lane! - Britcher and Rivers.
Some of our other favourites!
If it’s a hat you’re after then Herald and Heart is a must! They create the most superb hats (most famously a hat made for the film Four Weddings and a Funeral).
Gorgeous ladies wear from Cordelia James.
Stylish menswear from WJ Bennett.
Grammar School Records - a haven of music memorabilia, vinyls, cds, videos, cassettes. Great knowledge from the staff.
Adams Newsagents and toy shop - a wonderful shop evoking memories of childhood treats.
Penny Royal - traditional haberdashers and craft shop upstairs and gift and card shop downstairs.
Ethel Loves Me - a treasure trove of wonderful local crafts and arts.
We love this shop. Fantastic for ceramics, Scandi rugs, scented candles and homewares etc. We especially love the Studio Arhoj ceramic friends! You’ll find lots of our happy purchases in the cottage.
Hunter Jones
3 Market RdWe love this shop. Fantastic for ceramics, Scandi rugs, scented candles and homewares etc. We especially love the Studio Arhoj ceramic friends! You’ll find lots of our happy purchases in the cottage.
Take home some deliciously fresh locally caught fish from Rye’s own fishing fleet.
7 locals recommend
Rye Bay Fish
73 New RdTake home some deliciously fresh locally caught fish from Rye’s own fishing fleet.
An adorable small gift shop selling delightful quality gifts next to the church. (And an adorable shop window!)
Next door is The Tiny Bookshop - worth a look for an old book!
Forget Me Not Rye
72 Church SquareAn adorable small gift shop selling delightful quality gifts next to the church. (And an adorable shop window!)
Next door is The Tiny Bookshop - worth a look for an old book!
Getting around by train, bus, bicycle and car.
PARKING
The closest car park to the cottage is at The Strand car park (TN31 7DB) which is 50 meters from the cottage. A full day’s parking costs a maximum of £7 per day. It’s a good place to park when you arrive. If you then wish to move to a less expensive car park then the Station car park is only a few minutes’ walk. You can use the Ringo app to park at the Strand car park.
The Station Car Park (TN31 7AB):
Entrance on Station Approach by the railway station. Cost is £2.50 per day or a weekly pass is £9.00.
The Cattle Market Car Park (TN31 7NA):
We are also only a few minutes’ walk away from the main central car park in Rye. Vehicle access is on Rope Walk (opposite Eagle Road), but the pedestrian exit is at the corner of Station Approach and Cinque Ports Street.
Parking fees are £1.50 for 24 hours. Do not use this car park on a Wednesday night or Thursday daytime up until 5pm as the weekly market takes place every Thursday morning.
The train station is only a few minutes walk from the cottage. Trains go to Ashford, Hastings and Eastbourne (and from there to beyond!) Also buses run from outside the station to Camber and Rye Harbour and various other destinations. Bicycles can be hired at Rye Hire or EBike.
6 locals recommend
Rye station
The train station is only a few minutes walk from the cottage. Trains go to Ashford, Hastings and Eastbourne (and from there to beyond!) Also buses run from outside the station to Camber and Rye Harbour and various other destinations. Bicycles can be hired at Rye Hire or EBike.
Arts & Culture
Rye Heritage Centre
A great source of local information.
Really lovely gallery celebrating many talented local artists. Always something tempting to take away as a memento of your stay in Rye.
20 locals recommend
Rye Art Gallery
107 High StReally lovely gallery celebrating many talented local artists. Always something tempting to take away as a memento of your stay in Rye.