St Mary’s Church, Rye

1016 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

4/5

Review type

Things to do

Location

Date of travel

September, 2021

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

Partner

Reasons for trip

In “St Mary’s Church”:https://www.ryeparishchurch.org.uk/6613c646.htm, Rye, a donation of £4 and a gift aid signature allowed us to climb 82 steps up the tower and negotiate a 16” wide passage, before heading out onto the viewing platform, described as the best in town. The first section was a wooden staircase, and the passage wasn’t as narrow as I’d feared, and I emerged at the end without getting stuck. Having reached the bell ringing platform there were three wooden ladders to negotiate before a small door led out onto the terrace. Signs constantly reminded us that “while the churchwardens have taken all reasonable precautions certain parts of the Tower Battlements are dangerous to young children and careless persons”. I tried not to be careless.

Walking around the four sides of the square shaped tower provided panoramic views of both the river and town. We spied a rather grand looking building, and both wondered what it was. It wasn’t until we left the following day, we realised it was Rye railway station.

The church clock is the oldest working church clock in the country, and our position also gave us a closeup view of the four golden quarterboys (named because they strike the quarter hours).

Once safely down, we took in the church and stained-glass windows. There was a small shop beneath a rather dark and drab window with a sign saying they preferred contactless as there were no banks in Rye: a sad sign of the times bearing in mind the number of visitors and tradespeople.

The magnificent Rye Millennium Embroidery, created by the Rye Branch of the Embroiders Guild, was prominently displayed. A sign told us it did not need cleaning as the fabric had been deliberately stained to resemble the old town wall in Cinque Port Street. The various individual panels depicted Rye scenes past and present.

Helen Jackson

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.