Top Things to do in Rye
The 10 Best Things to Do in Rye, United Kingdom (UK)
Discover the best top things to do in Rye, United Kingdom (UK) including St. Thomas the Martyr, St. Mary's Parish Church, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, The School of Wizards & Witches, Camber Sands, Rye Heritage Centre, Winchelsea Beach, Ypres Tower Museum, Rye Castle Museum, Mapp & Lucia's Rye.
Restaurants in Rye
1. St. Thomas the Martyr
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 148 reviews
Reviewed By Philip M - London, United Kingdom
This ancient church, dating from the 13th century, sits in the middle of an enormous churchyard and situated in the centre of Winchelsea. The church, which is dedicated to St Thomas the Martyr - Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury who was assassinated in 1170 - was clearly larger than the present building as there are plenty of ruined walls surrounding the present building.
Inside there are some historical tombs, like the medieval Alard tombs, There are also some beautiful twentieth century features like the wonderful stained glass windows by Douglas Strachan following the first world war.
In the churchyard (west side) look out for the grave of Spike Milligan. It is easy to find, you will see the trodden pathway through the grass where many tourists have headed for the headstone.
2. St. Mary's Parish Church
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 631 reviews
For more than 900 years the Parish Church of Rye, dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, has dominated the hill on which the old town stands. Today, if you wish, you can climb the church tower where, from the top, you can see magnificent views of Rye and the surrounding countryside. St Mary's is open to visitors every day of the year, except for Christmas Day, from 9.15Am - 5.15Pm in summer and 9.15Am - 4.15Pm in winter. Admission to the church is FREE. The Visitor Centre stocks a good range of postcards, Christian greetings cards, prayer cards, books, gifts and Christian jewellery. The Tower, which is open every day (weather permitting) for a charge, has become a popular place for marriage proposals!
Reviewed By badmintontim - Hastings, United Kingdom
This is a great architectural delight of a church and a must in my opinion if one hasn’t been round it before, just to wander round in amazement at the hundreds of years that it has stood on this spot.
If you have time then do go up the tower which is a small fee of around £3:50 per person so very little in comparison to other costs elsewhere especially for something that has stood for around 900 years!
Definitely Recommend
Enjoy
3. Rye Harbour Nature Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 680 reviews
A coastal nature reserve with 5 birdwatching hides and miles of footpaths to explore. Habitats include saltmarsh, shingle, saline lagoons, grazing marsh and reedbed. Visit at any time of year to see a range of birds, plants and other animals, including many that are rare. Find out more by visiting the website or joining the Friends.
Reviewed By Birder B - London, United Kingdom
Stunning scenery with big skies and fresh sea air. Flat surfaces perfect for cycling and walking. Don't forget to take binoculars for the various bird hides with a wide range of duck and waders. The car park is free (donation recommended). Public toliets rather shabby but there are some super cafes nearby.
4. The School of Wizards & Witches
Overall Ratings
5 based on 62 reviews
Home to the unique and special family "School of Wizards & Witches" interactive story shows, which blend storytelling, game playing, puppets and creatures. These magical shows use theatre sets and props to take you on a incredible adventure. Shows are priced between £10-£20 depending on the performance. It's free to pop in and have a look.
Reviewed By Planethayley
We visited this afternoon and had a fabulous time. The actors are great the scenes, props and ambience help you get fully immersed in the action. We (three adults) took two 11-year-olds and a 9-year-old who all loved it. Recommended!
5. Camber Sands
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By Dren W
Retraced my childhood memories of the 1970s. Though today it was very windy and bitterly cold, maybe sunny. Car park was buzzing with dog walkers and horse boxes and their riders. Very sand swept tarmac and drifting sand made finding the actual footpath interesting. The beach was easy to walk along and solid underfoot. Walking up into the Dunes made me feel like a kid again. We will return in warmer weather and enjoy what this beach has to offer. Good views.
6. Rye Heritage Centre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 321 reviews
The perfect start to your visit to Rye! The Rye Heritage Centre is the home of the 'Story of Rye' Town Model Sound and Light show, a handmade scale model of Victorian Rye that plays a show that takes you through 700 years of Rye's history. Historic Audio Walking Tours are available for hire, with guided ghost tours available on selected dates during the winter months. The Heritage Centre is also host to a fantastic working collection of Old Pier Penny Arcade amusement machines, and has a wide variety of books and maps on Rye and the surrounding area, as well as exclusive locally made pottery and souvenirs in the gift shop.
Reviewed By jennywinter23 - Bracknell, United Kingdom
Very helpful staff there, for a small place there is quite a lot to see, the model village light show is excellent.
7. Winchelsea Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 217 reviews
Reviewed By AmyCK2013
Stunning scenery, quiet and peaceful, and a great place for dogs to explore! You can walk to Rye harbour along the beach and pathway. Recommend a stop at the Mary Stanford Lifeboat station and read the history of the brave lifeguards, who gave their lives to try to save others.
8. Ypres Tower Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 256 reviews
Reviewed By jivebanana - UK
A lovely little place to visit when in Rye. Great for kids too as there is a lot of smuggler info as well as a bit of blood and guts. There are swords you can hold, longbows to pull and armour to try on. All run by volunteers who are very knowledgeable. The Women's tower has a small show just highlighting the terrible conditions women were kept in and the minor offences they could be imprisoned for.
9. Rye Castle Museum
Overall Ratings
4 based on 168 reviews
Reviewed By Ewyena - London, United Kingdom
I guess this is the same museum, called Ypres tower and/or Rye Castle museum.
Easily accessible behind St Mary's church, and the view is very nice from here. Castle is not too big, but with an interesting history and small exhibition upstairs-downstairs and has a little garden. There are no toilets or cafe, we can buy a few postcards and small stuffs at the reception. But there are a Terrace with few benches behind the tower with cannons, which is a good view point, also picnic spot. The closest pub is just behind this Terrace, when we walk down on a stair.
Rye is small enough to walk around within a few hours, so we can find the castle easily.
10. Mapp & Lucia's Rye
Overall Ratings
5 based on 52 reviews
Reviewed By OldBear - Lancashire, England
A lovely quaint town with some cobbled narrow streets and some old and interesting buildings. There are plenty of good reasons why you should visit or stay here, even if you have no interest in the Mapp & Lucia connection.
The Heritage Centre staff were very helpful and can provide guides or advice to make your visit more enjoyable.
There is something special I enjoy about Rye and that's why I have made a return visit.
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