Church of St Mary the Virgin

Rye


Rye’s welcoming, community hub of a church is a hotchpotch of medieval and later styles. Its turret clock is the oldest in England (1561) still working with its original pendulum, which swings above your head as you enter. Climb the tower for pretty views of the town and surroundings, then inspect the small exhibition of interesting old objects found in and around the church.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Rye attractions

1. Ypres Tower

0.06 MILES

Just off Church Sq stands the sandcastle-esque Ypres Tower (pronounced ‘wipers’). You can scramble through the 13th-century building to learn about its…

2. Lamb House

0.07 MILES

This Georgian town house is a favourite stomping ground for local apparitions, but its most famous resident was American writer Henry James, who lived…

3. Mermaid Street

0.13 MILES

Most start their exploration of Rye on famous Mermaid St, a short walk from the Rye Heritage Centre. It bristles with 15th-century timber-framed houses…

4. Chapel Down Vinery

6.5 MILES

Located 2.5 miles south of Tenterden on the B2082, this award-winning vineyard produces some of Kent’s best wine and bubbly. Tours should be booked well…

5. Shipwreck Museum

8.88 MILES

An old-school repository of junk salvaged from various vessels that have sunk in the Channel, plus sections on fossils and diving.

6. Fishermen’s Museum

8.89 MILES

Shoals of barnacled exhibits swim around the huge Enterprise fishing boat at this Stade museum, housed in a former fishermens’ church. Next door you can…

7. Stade

8.93 MILES

The seafront area known as the Stade (below East Hill) is home to distinctive black clapboard structures known as Net Shops. These were built to store…

8. Smugglers Adventure

9.01 MILES

On West Hill, a short walk east of the Hastings Castle, is the Smugglers Adventure, where you can explore underground caverns and hear smuggling yarns…

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