A visitor to Rye since 1968, Mary Cooper, from Washington DC, whom you met recently in the pages of Rye News, came again after a break of five years, for this year’s Rye Arts Festival. It seemed interesting to ask her what brought her here with her husband all those years ago. ” The ancient streets, the old houses, the Mermaid Inn and the Rye Arts Festival”, she said, to name the most powerful attractions.
That 1968 visit was her first to the UK, and although Mary felt this place was, and would always be, her favourite in our green and pleasant land, her husband Albert suggested that more travelling was required before such a decision could be reached!
Each year, they came back, to Scotland, to the Lake District, to the European continent and to Rye for the dates of the Festival. They always stayed in a room at the top of the Mermaid, looking down cobbled Mermaid Street and all the goings on there. Finally, even Albert said that this was his favourite place.
In the last five years, Rye and the Mermaid Inn have not seen Mary or Albert, as his health deteriorated. Mary returned here this year without him, as Albert passed away two years ago. He wasn’t here to sit in the smoking corner of the bar, or watch from the window at the top.
Sadly missed by the longstanding staff of the Mermaid, and Judith Blincow of course, they instantly knew Mary when she came, armed as always with her camera. Back to the top room, now with new handrail up the steep stairs, this time she also brought proper, American sized squares for the St Mary’s knitting group’s project of blankets for Syrian refugees, which your reporter is about to sew together!
Did she still think Rye was her favourite place in England? Yes indeed, and Albert had as well. The reasons? The same as at first, together with Great Dixter’s wonderful house and garden and the warmth and friendship of St Mary’s congregation and other friendly Ryers. Asked if she read Rye News, “always” came the answer, “perhaps not the sport, but news, culture and living!” It keeps her up to date with what is happening here, in this corner of England she feels is another home.
Next year, she hopes to return with her family, to see Great Dixter in the spring, and show them her favourite haunts. She has now gone back to her family, her two cats and the Trump/ Clinton debate, which she is determined to stay awake and see. God speed, Mary, come back soon.
Photo: Kenneth Bird