April 2011
SUMMER OPENING TIMES
Ypres Tower
This site continues to be open daily 10:30 am to 5:00 pm, with last admission 30 minutes before closing. Here are some new photos by Clive Sawyer showing how the Tower has been ‘smartened up’ recently.
Ypres Tower Ground Floor (Clive Sawyer)
Ypres Tower Cellar (Clive Sawyer)
This is what the Lonely Planet has to say about our Ypres Tower:
Turn right at the Church Square’s east corner for the sandcastle-archetype Ypres Tower, pronounced ‘Wipers’. This 13th-century building has great views over Romney Marsh and Rye Bay, and houses one part of Rye Castle Museum. It’s overseen by a friendly warden fit to bust with colourful tales from the tower’s long history as fort, prison, mortuary and museum (the last two at overlapping times).
3 East Street
Open Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays, 10.30 am to 5.00 pm with last admission 30 minutes before closing. There are new exhibits, the latest on Royal Weddings. . 
Items range from some originally produced for the wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albertnin 1840 through to the latest from Rye Pottery made for that of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on 29th April.
Royal Wedding Exhibit
More details under Recent Events –> Official Opening below.
Groups
Groups of over 8 persons have a special rate. It is possible to arrange for a guide or a talk on a particular subject. The Museum Education Team can arrange special class visits for various curriculum subjects and these are proving very popular. For further details please contact the Museum on 01797-226728 or e-mail info@ryemuseum.co.uk.
PUT THESE DATES IN YOUR DIARY PLEASE!
Tuesday 10th May: East Street Early start: 7 pm
Herbs in May : Lin Saines
A talk with exhibits and herb tastings offered by our Medieval Garden expert. During the coming months you will also want to plan a visit the Medieval Garden at the Tower and the newly refurbished Still Room within it too: these have been created by Lin. The annual plant-up takes place in May.
Sunday 15th May: Rye College 3 pm: A concert in aid of the Women’s Tower Project
Students of Rye College have gone on to become professional singers with growing reputations. A group of them will treat the Rye community to an afternoon concert with proceeds going to the Women’s Tower project. Tickets are £10 and may be purchased at Martello Bookshop or at the door. Put this in your diary!
RECENT EVENTS Members and special guests gathered to celebrate the beginning of a new season, to view new and updated exhibits and enjoy especially delicious food prepared by head guide Toby Major and director Dilys Mayor.
Tuesday 12th April: East Street�
Garden for All Reasons: Colin Page
A splendid evening of nature photography with a deserving award winner.
Saturday 16th April: East Street 10:30 – 12:00
Coffee Morning
This was a particularly enjoyable morning because many visitors to Rye attended as well as ‘regulars’ to admire the new exhibits, chat, buy and enjoy coffee, tea and cake.
Tuesday, 29th March: 3 East Street
Official Opening of Summer Season
Among the guests at the opening was 98 year old Arthur Woodgate who came to see the bell left to him by his grandfather ‘Old Batch’ in its new home: the case featuring the Rye ship Three Brothers where both bell and grandfather once served. Another case features some splendid between-the-wars costumes from the Museum’s collection. The Captain Pugwash display largely donated by the creator’s wife Priscilla Ryan continues to win praise. . . .
If you have not visited the Museum for a while, it is high time to plan a return to both sites. There are new features at the Tower too!
And if you have time and talents to volunteer please please do let us know!
Tuesday, 15th March: East Street
Volunteers’ evening
One of the suggestions last year was that we extend the opening hours at the Ypres Tower. We did — it is now open 7 days a week including lunch hours — and what a successful experiment this has been with nearly 70% more visitors at this site over the year! Over the whole of 2010 we welcomed nearly 21,500 visitors in total to both our sites, an amazing almost 50% increase over 2009. School and group visits are also rising steadily. These successes have been made possible by the excellent support of our volunteers. Tuesday evening’s meeting generated a host of further good ideas — some of which can be implemented very soon. Watch for news of them.
A big thanks to all who came! And if you didn’t, watch for an announcement of the next meeting and come join the ranks of our volunteers. There are all kinds of ways you could help and this is a great way to make new friends while contributing to your town.
Saturday 12th March: East Street
Antique and Collectables Fair
With dry weather and lots of visitors in town this all day fair proved another worthwhile fundraiser. The Women’s Tower Project on top of maintaining our regular programmes and activities means we are always seeking ways to improve income. Ideas welcome!
Tuesday, 8th March: East Street
Bodiam Castle and Recent Archaeological Excavations
County Archaeologist Caspar Johnson brought us up-to-date on recent work and discoveries in the area around this favourite Sussex attraction. The Romans were here long before the moated medieval fairytale castle!
Ellen Terry as Lady MacBeth by John Singer Sargent
ARE YOU CAUGHT UP WITH ADDITIONS TO THE WEBSITE?
Do check out the new link to A Pocketful of Rye, which offers a delightful series of quality illustrated guides to aspects of Rye,
If you haven’t checked Latest News recently, we recommend you click that heading at right and check previous monthly posts to see what you might have missed. Recent new posts include: The Gungarden Story: an 800 year history, an expanded and updated article on Writers in Rye, an altogether new one featuring Stories Set in and Around Rye, and another called More Rye Connections which lists writers who lived in or near Rye, or regularly visited Rye as well as Rye historians. All these are under the new category of Literary Rye, see right.
The Women’s Tower Project now has its own section; see under Rye Castle at right. There is a form you can download if you would like to help us save the tower. Recent posts also include new pieces on the Medieval Garden and under Said About Rye. The Links to other sites (see right) often supplement what this one offers. The newest link is to Romney Marsh Times and we recommend the item 5 Things You Didn’t Know about Romney Marsh for starters.
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