May 2011
News Flash
Click here for details of the eleven ex-students of Rye College who have become professional musicians and will be giving a special concert on 15th May in aid of Rye Museum’s Women’s Tower appeal. Concert particulars below under Put these dates in your diary!
OPENING TIMES AND PRICES
Ypres Tower
This site continues to be open daily 10:30 am to 5:00 pm, with last admission at 4:30. The admission price is £3.00 for adults (Concessions £2.50). Children are free. Joint tickets for the two sites are £5.00 and £4.00.
3 East Street
Open Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays, 10.30 am to 5.00 pm with last admission at 4:30. The admission price is £2.50 for adults (Concessions £2.00). Joint tickets for the two sites are £5.00 and £4.00.
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.
WHAT TO SEE AT OUR TWO SITES
Here are some new photos of the ground floor and the cellar by Clive Sawyer showing how the Tower has been ‘smartened up’ recently.
Ypres Tower Cellar (Clive Sawyer)
Ypres Tower Ground Floor (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).
Royal Weddings exhibit at East Street
Items range from some originally produced for the wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840 
through to the latest from Rye Pottery for that of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on 29th April.
More details under Recent Events –> Offcial Opening below.
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, carpentry (using medieval methods!) byMartin Riddell. The annual plant-up takes place in May.
Sunday 15th May: Rye College 3 pm: Where are they now? A very special concert in aid of the Women’s Tower Project\
Eleven former students of Rye College (then Thomas Peacocke) have gone on to become professional musicians with Royal Opera House, English and Welsh National Operas, Royal College of Music, Guildhall School of Music — and so on: a very distinguished group of alumni of which Rye can be justly proud. They are joining together to treat the Rye community to an afternoon concert of popular music with half the proceeds going to Rye Museum’s Women’s Tower project, the other half to Rye Hospital. Tickets are £10 and may be purchased at Martello Bookshop or at the door. There will be a raffle.
Do put this in your diary! Click here for details of the performers. You will be impressed!
RECENT EVENTS
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
Members and special guests recently 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. 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!
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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