Rye Castle Museum

Eight Centuries of History The Gun Garden adjacent to the Ypres Tower What we now know as Ypres Tower (13th century)  was the sole defence of Rye   until  Edward III gave successive grants for the building of stone walls and gates.    Even these additional defences were found wanting when the French attacked in 1339 and … read more

Jo Kirkham is the principal author of all Invasion Coast articles. Pre-Roman Times Stone Age Times: Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic The southeast coast received many tribes from the ”continent” in pre- historic times. Between 10,000 and 7,000 BC Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) hunters walked across the land-link which existed where the English Channel now is; they … read more

by Jo Kirkham The Dark Ages In the late 4th century, the Romans had brought in mercenaries and their families to bolster the defence of Britain when the legions were being withdrawn.   By the mid 5th century, they had been joined by further waves of Germanic immigrants. Some were invited by the British to help … read more

by Jo Kirkham 1066 King Edward the Confessor died on 5 January 1066 and Harold was crowned King on 6 January 1066. William the Conqueror landed at Pevensey with 400 large and 1000 small ships on 28th September 1066. This area of coast between Rye and Hastings and inland to include Brede (the Manor of Rameslie), … read more

by Jo Kirkham Rye in Tudor Times (I am indebted to Dr Graham Mayhew, as much of this information is from his study of the Rye Records. J. K.) In Tudor Times, the traditional Cinque Ports Service of troop carrying was not as important as it had been previously, but it still went on, as did … read more

by Jo Kirkham Threats and Rye’s Responses in the 18th Century 1739 A new war began, this time against Spain.  Then France joined in on Spain’s side. Rye, once more, was on the alert. 1741 A platform was raised on the Bowling Green which was then in the Gungarden. Eight guns were placed there, and the town … read more

by Jo Kirkham Napoleonic Times More Threats to Britain  1802 A French engineer first proposed a tunnel under the English Channel at the Straits of Dover. Napoleon was interested, but the renewal of the war meant that the scheme was suspended. 1803 War was declared again and Napoleon was now Emperor of the French. The threat … read more

by Jo Kirkham Rye’s Participation in the Boer War and the First World War 1885-1899 Col. Brookfield became MP for the Borough of Rye in 1885 and took over command of the Cinque Ports Rifle Volunteers (1st  Battalion). He immediately formed a Rye company:  the E Company 1st Cinque Ports Rifle Volunteers (Brookfield’s Greys). This was commissioned … read more