Rye Castle Museum

This section deals not only with the long and fascinating history of Rye Harbour but also with the Nature Reserve of recent times.   If you are interested in a particular period or wish to jump to the Nature Reserve, use the navigation bar above.   If you would like to see everything available, simply scroll down.

History of Rye Harbour:   Beginnings  and Timeline

by Jo Kirkham

                                                                                                                                                                   

 Rye has always been a port, starting from the time when it was an island. The Roman iron production in the area was under the control of the Roman Fleet, Classis Britannica who exported it from here to the rest of Europe. A senior Cinque Port from the 12th Century, it was the home of the Royal Galleys from 1240, and has been a fishing, shipbuilding and trading port throughout 1000 years. It has also been very involved with pirating, smuggling and coastguard patrols.

Pirating ships, cargoes and their sailors for ransom was a lucrative source of income for the Town and a legitimate one in time of war, when Ryers were licensed by the Crown as Privateers.

A specialized lantern  used for secret communication is kept in the Museum.

Wool was sent out in return for luxury goods, including spirits, tobacco and tea. There were few convictions as the juries were local,  many buildings in Rye were modified with secret cupboards, panels and ‘hidey-holes’ for the contraband, and there were secret passages and ways through attics to enable the smugglers to escape capture.

Roman Times
No evidence has been found of  a Roman settlement  where Rye now stands but remains have been found at Playden. In Roman times the River Rother flowed into the sea at New Romney.

1189
By this date Henry II had conferred Cinque Ports status on Rye and Winchelsea as  ‘Limbs’ of Hastings and subsequently they became full members of the Confederation.

1287
Old Winchelsea, sited possibly where Camber is to-day, was destroyed by storms. The course of the River Rother altered  to nearly its present position.

1350
Edward III and the Black Prince fought the Spanish in Rye Bay.

1375
The Rother and the sea undercut cliffs and caused the eastern part of Rye to disappear. From this period until the twentieth century the main docking area was on the Strand and along the River Tillingham.

1377
The French plundered Rye and took  the Church bells.

1400’s
Rye was important for transporting fighting men to France during the Hundred Years War.

At the beginning of this century Rye was considered one of the finest of the Cinque Port harbours. Henry VIII demanded more armaments and cannon, and built  Camber Castle. Throughout Tudor times, as in Medieval times, Rye was important for the  storage and shipment of iron.

1550
An Act of Parliament was passed to try and stop harbour silting.

1573
Elizabeth I visited the town and stayed at Grene Hall, now the Old Custom House in Church Square.

1600’s
Continued silting of the harbour led to a further decline in the  importance of Rye as a port.

1720-23
Three Acts of Parliament set up a Harbour Commission, with Commissioners. The Harbour continued to silt up and the attempt to construct a new one lasted over  sixty  years The famous engineer John Smeaton was brought in toward the end of the struggle and the finished harbour was called–somewhat unfairly–Smeaton’s Harbour. It failed within three months, in 1787.  

1801
The Harbour at Rye Act authorised Tolls for maintaining the harbour at Rye.

1806
Rye Harbour became a separate village,

1808
The Royal Military Canal was completed as a protection against Napoleon’s
invasion. Throughout the nineteenth century there were constant battles between the landowners and the harbour authorities.

1813
Scot’s Float Sluice, on the Rother, was rebuilt despite protests from Rye.

1817
Ryers attacked and destroyed  the new river Brede dam which obstructed navigation.

1818
The Lord Chief Justice found in favour of Ryers re the Brede Dam.

1830
Rioters damaged Scots Float, but they were acquitted.

1833
Differences were resolved by another Harbour of Rye Act. A temporary nnlull ensued.

1835
An Eastern Jetty was built at the mouth of the Rother

1841
The Railway came to Rye

1882
Storms almost blocked the harbour;  this led to a decline in usage.

1893
  A dredger was bought with help from the Rother Commissioners, which led to the two interests co-operating to keep a clear river channel.

1917-18
Treasury gave a grant to keep the harbour open

1920-21
More storms caused problems with the river mouth.

1929
New schemes (Plat Taylor plans) were devised to improve the Harbour

1930
The Land Drainage Act was passed and Land Drainage Boards created nation-wide. The many old land drainage commissions were abolished and in the Rye area the Rother and Jury’s Gut Catchment Board also took over the operations of Rye Harbour and the sea defences.

1941-44
The Admiralty made improvements to the harbour and dredged its mouth

1950
The Kent River Board planned a drainage project including barrage

1951
The Sea Fish Industry Act imposed a duty to keep the harbour open for the fishing industry.

1962
The barrage plan was abandoned

1965Â
Responsibility for the Harbour was transferred to Kent River Authority

1966
A plan to build 23 pumping stations in low lying areas to pump flood waters into the tidal river, independent of the tide level, was approved by the Ministry of Agriculture–which resulted in less silting.

1967
Alsford Wharf was constructed, bringing more harbour traffic.

1974
Responsibility for the Harbour was transferred to Southern Water Authority.

1976
New by-laws were enacted and a Harbour Advisory Committee formed to advise on policy.

1988
The Harbour Authority was made responsible for pilotage services.

1989
The Water Act transferred Harbour responsibility to the National Rivers Authority.

1993
A Five Year Plan  was enacted to improve harbour conditions and health and safety
and to provide more moorings.

1996
Responsibility for the Harbour was transferred to the Environment Agency Rye Bay Plan.

1998
A new five year management plan was developed in order to continue to improve the harbour. There are signs of an increase in commercial activity thanks to Rastrums, the new owners of Alsford’s Wharf. The fishing industry continues to thrive and pleasure craft numbers are being maintained in a competitive climate.