Rye

A small town and civil parish in East Sussex situated on the River Rother, the river Tillingham, and lying at the western edge of the Walland Marsh which is part of the Romney Marshes. Due to its historical importance, the town's economy relies heavily on tourism.

Once surrounded by sea, this fortified hilltop town played an important role in the defence of the south coast of England. It was Henry III in 1247 who restored the area to the English Crown from the Abbey of Fécamp, except for a small area some way inland, still known to this day as Rye Foreign. It wasn't taken back under English control until the Reformation, however, once back in English hands Rye underwent a period of sustained fortification around 1380 with the construction of four gates and a town wall under the supervision of Edward III. Today, only the Landgate, Ypres Tower and a small section of the original town wall in Cinque Port Street remain. The sea has since retreated and now lies two miles from the town.

Plantagenet kings Henry III and later Edward I consolidated the defence of the realm with the Charter of the Cinque Ports, which meant towns along the coast of Kent and Sussex provided safe harbour, a quota of ships and men to sail them. In return for their support the ports, including Rye were granted common rights and privileges, with freedom from taxes and custom duties, trading concessions and rights to hold judicial courts. As a result the Cinque Ports became one of the richest and most important maritime economies in Europe, laying the foundations for Britain's maritime power.

Architecturally, Rye is famed for its timbered medieval and Tudor town houses that are concentrated to the south of Cinque Port Street in the Citadel amid an enclave of cobbled lanes and alleyways. The unique houses lining Mermaid Street, Church Square and Watch-bell Street have been protected by conservation orders since the 17th century. However, Rye offers a good selection of attractive options outside the Citadel. Victorian and Georgian houses on the outskirts of town make ideal family homes while Strand Quay, which overlooks the salt-water estuary is another property hotspot. Just to the east of Rye, many of the circular-shaped oast-houses, once used to prepare hops for beer brewing, have been converted into luxury family homes.

Rye's proximity to Ashford with its Eurostar connection has had a positive effect on the local property market. Ashford is booming but many people prefer to live in Rye and instead make the daily 20 minute journey to work. The town is also attracting a lot of residents who regularly travel to Europe for work. Paris or Brussels is just two-and-a-half hours away. Just over an hour's journey by car from the M25, via the A21,exit at Flimwell, or via M20 and A2070. The town is on the A259 between Hastings and Folkestone and close to the Port of Dover and the Channel Tunnel terminal at Folkestone.