A series of “Ghostly Guided Walks of Rye” is run monthly through most of the year from March to October, ending inevitably with a “Halloween Special” on Wednesday October 31. These are organised by Rye Heritage Centre on Strand Quay and the next one is this Saturday July 28, followed by August 25.
Pre-booking is essential and you can contact the Heritage Centre on 01797 226696 or at ryeheritagecentre@gmail.com. And remember – the nights are cooler than the daytime!
If you cannot go, or want to whet your appetite first, read Rye Memories: Vol 24 “Ghosts of Rye and things that go bump in the night”. This should be available at the Heritage Centre in their wide range of books about Rye, or at the East Street Museum. First put together in 1995 by former Mayor and current Museum Chairman Jo Kirkham, it is now on its third impression and has a detailed history of ghosts in Rye and in the surrounding areas.
Indeed, the Heritage Centre apparently has its share including a black dog with glaring red eyes, a skeleton which moved, and a man leaning over the town model.
The Mermaid Inn, which is very old and was rebuilt after the French sacked and burnt the town in 1377, is over medieval cellars, and has a long association with smugglers and has many secrets – so is a source of many ghost stories.
The most popular story however is about Turkey Cock Lane (between Conduit Hill and Hilder’s Cliff along the line of the old Town Wall) and the monk who fell in love (and who may, or may have not, been walled up in his cell as a punishment) and still stalks that area – we are told.
But, given that Rye is such an old town dating back to Norman times and before, with a history of wars, smuggling and invasions, there is much more to learn – by either reading the book or going on a guided walk – but be ready to go “Aaaarrggghh”.
Photos : Rye News Library
Image Credits: Rye News library , J. Minter .