Stuart Times

1603 The town walls were intact, except on the east side where the river and cliffs replaced the lost part of the wall. The battery at the Gungarden and the bulwark on the Strand still had some guns and the Watchbell was kept in good repair. Camber Castle was still garrisoned.

1625 War was declared on Spain and Charles I attacked Cadiz.

1626 War was declared on France and Rye was put on alert again. It still paid one gunner. Rye ships captured at least one French ship and took prisoners.

1643 Camber Castle was abandoned. The Mayor and Jurats of Rye were given £200 from the monies made from the sale of lead from the Castle, to use on the defences of the town.

1650-59 The Commonwealth: The Civil War did not affect Rye directly as the Corporation had been controlled by the Puritans since 1631, but they had to billet Parliamentarian troops on many occasions.

During the Commonwealth there was very strict control over travellers going to and from the town, by land and sea, and reasons for movement had to be sent to the Clerk to the Council in Whitehall. The Royal party had a naval force under Prince Rupert and these ships patrolled the Channel from 1648, before the death of King Charles I. One Rye ship was captured by them. This opposition ended in 1552.

1652 - 54 1st Dutch War: There were a great many skirmishes between the Dutch fleet and the Commonwealth Navy, under the command of Admiral Blake, including one off Dungeness. Ships and men from Rye were in the navy. Troops were stationed in the town.
1655: The Town Council petitioned The Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell, for Rye’s ships to be allowed a convoy system.

1657 2 Companies of foot soldiers from Col. Robert Gibbon’s Regiment were quartered in Rye.

1658 These soldiers were eventually sent to Dunkirk and the Mayor was instructed to enlist townsmen and set watches for the defence of the town. He did have 120 men on patrol, but soldiers were still billeted on the town.

1659 A party of the County Horse and 100 foot from Kent were sent to the town under Captain Heath.

1660 The Restoration of the Monarchy - Charles II.

1662 The Mayor applied to the Tower of London for some gunpowder saying that the town had more great guns mounted than any other of the ports with the exception of Dover. But they were having difficulty in finding money for the ammunition. They needed it for ”ornament upon festival and other public occasions, for the stopping of vessels, which might otherwise steal out of the harbour without paying their dues; for keeping the peace when foreign ships of war, with their prizes, were in the harbour together, and the safety of the town.’

1664 - 67 In the Second Dutch War and the Third Dutch War: 1672-74. Rye was put on alert, but no fighting took place here, after the Four Days Battle in the eastern Channel. The fleets sailed past on many occasions and Dutch privateers did prowl the coast, however. The French were supposed to be our ally in this Third War, and when they didn't give the support expected, they once more became our ‘rival’. The ‘peace’ virtually prohibited imports from Northern France and so inaugurated a long period of smuggling across the channel for brandy, silks and linens.

1688 The 2 fleets involved in the Glorious Revolution sailed down the Channel - that of William Prince of Orange, sailing on behalf of his wife, Mary, passed Rye on Nov. 3 and that representing James II followed it on Nov. 4th.

1689 32 men and a boy were sent to Chatham on the King’s service to man the King’s ships. 1690: The war with the French was renewed and a weakened navy (most ships were away on other duties) was defending the south coast against the threat of invasion by a very strong French navy.

The great town gates and the postern gate were repaired and turnpikes were made to stop horses going through them - unless with permission. The 3 guns at the castle point were brought into the fort and the gun lying at the Gungarden Rocks was brought up the hill. Sufficient tamkins and aprons were provided to preserve the guns; planks were put under the wheels and the carriage of the great gun in the fort was mended.