A little further afield from Eastbourne — but worth every minute of the journey — lies Rye, one of the most beautiful medieval towns in England. With its famous cobbled streets, crooked timber-framed houses, smugglers’ inns and hilltop castle, this ancient Cinque Port feels like stepping back in time. Here’s how to make a day of it.
Getting there
Rye sits east of Hastings, so it’s a slightly longer trip than Eastbourne’s closer day trips — but an easy and rewarding one. By train, you travel along the coast to Hastings and change onto the Marshlink line to Rye, with the whole journey taking around an hour or so; Rye’s station is a short walk from the old town. By car, it’s roughly 45 minutes to an hour along the scenic A259 coast road through Hastings and pretty Winchelsea, with pay-and-display car parks near the centre. Either way, Rye is compact and best explored slowly on foot — wear comfortable shoes for those cobbles.
Mermaid Street and the old town
The heart of Rye is its impossibly pretty old town, and its most famous corner is Mermaid Street — a steep, cobbled lane lined with leaning, half-timbered houses, many bearing charming names like “The House with Two Front Doors.” It’s said to be one of the most photographed streets in England, and in real life it more than lives up to the postcards. Halfway down stands the legendary Mermaid Inn, with cellars dating back to the 1150s and the current building to 1420. Once the haunt of the notorious Hawkhurst smuggling gang, it’s riddled with secret passages, sloping floors and roaring fireplaces — and, inevitably, a good few ghost stories. Simply wandering the surrounding lanes — Watchbell Lane, The Mint, Church Square — is the best thing to do in Rye.
Local tip: If Mermaid Street is busy with photographers, the equally lovely Watchbell Lane and The Mint nearby have a fraction of the footfall — and just as much cobbled charm.
Castle, tower and 900 years of history
Rye was once a fortified port right on the sea — a member of the historic Cinque Ports — before the water retreated and left it stranded a couple of miles inland. That maritime, defensive past is written all over the town. The Ypres Tower, built in the 13th century, has served across the centuries as a fort, a private house, a court, a prison and a mortuary, and now houses part of the Rye Castle Museum (a small admission fee applies), complete with medieval herb garden, a smuggler’s signalling lamp and the tiny neighbouring women’s tower. Nearby, the ancient Landgate is the last survivor of four medieval gateways, and the tower of 12th-century St Mary’s Church can be climbed for glorious views over Rye’s rust-red rooftops to the surrounding marsh, sea and countryside.
A town of writers and artists
Rye has long drawn creative souls. The National Trust’s Lamb House, a handsome Georgian home with a walled garden, was where the novelist Henry James wrote several of his works, and later home to E.F. Benson — whose much-loved Mapp and Lucia novels are set in a barely-disguised Rye renamed “Tilling.” Writers and artists including Radclyffe Hall, the painters Paul Nash and Edward Burra, and Captain Pugwash creator John Ryan all had links to the town, and even Queen Elizabeth I paid a visit in 1573. It’s a place that seems to have inspired everyone who’s spent time in it — and it’s easy to see why.
Shops, beaches and nearby
Rye is a joy for browsing: its lanes are packed with independent shops, antique dealers, galleries and cosy tearooms, pubs and cafés for a well-earned break. The Rye Heritage Centre tells the town’s story through its famous scale model. And there’s more just beyond the town — the vast golden sands of Camber Sands, a rarity on this shingly coast, are a short hop away, as is the wild birdlife of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and the tiny hilltop sister-town of Winchelsea. Sussex vineyards nearby round off a wonderfully varied corner of the county.
Good to know: Museum and church-tower opening times vary through the year, and some attractions close in winter, so check ahead if there’s something specific you want to see. Rye is delightful year-round, but many visitors find spring and autumn the loveliest and least crowded.
Planning your day
Because it’s a little further than Eastbourne’s nearer day trips, Rye rewards a full, unhurried day rather than a quick dash — and it’s lovely enough that many people extend it into an overnight stay. A perfect visit combines a slow wander of the cobbled lanes, a climb up St Mary’s tower, a look round Ypres Tower and Lamb House, some browsing and a leisurely lunch, with perhaps a detour to Camber Sands to finish. You can easily pair it with a stop in Hastings on the way, since you pass through it either way.
Rye from Eastbourne: FAQs
How do I get to Rye from Eastbourne?
By train, travel to Hastings and change onto the Marshlink line to Rye — around an hour or so in total. By car, it’s roughly 45 minutes to an hour along the A259 through Hastings and Winchelsea.
What is Rye famous for?
Its beautifully preserved medieval old town — especially the cobbled, much-photographed Mermaid Street — plus its smuggling history, the Ypres Tower castle, literary connections and antique shops.
Is Rye worth a day trip?
Very much so — it’s one of the prettiest historic towns in England. It’s a little further than Eastbourne’s nearest day trips, so allow a full, relaxed day to do it justice.
Is Rye in Sussex or Kent?
Rye is in East Sussex, close to the Kent border, in the area known as 1066 Country — though its position near the county line often causes confusion.
More coastal day trips from Eastbourne: atmospheric Hastings, modernist Bexhill, and how to reach them all by rail in our days out by train guide.