On Saturday July 18, Rye’s Castle Museum volunteers were up bright and early to meet at 11 High Street to set up the annual fete. There were tables to be set out and a gazebo to be erected. Water was boiled for the tea and coffee and the cakes (all home made) laid out. Plant stalls, cake stalls, scarves and home made preserves as well as a second hand book stall were there, along with the tombola and a new idea, a green stall – where only green objects were to be sold, run by the Lanigan family. At 10am the garden party got going and it was a beautiful summer’s day with the sun shining and a light breeze to keep it cool – unlike last year’s downpour which washed the fete indoors into the East Street premises. Soon refreshments were selling rapidly, and most of the tables laid out in the garden for visitors were in use. All the stalls were doing a good trade, especially the books. There were well over 100 visitors and people were still arriving when the party closed at 1pm. When the last visitors were gone, the volunteers packed up the stalls, taking the tables and remaining books, plants etc back to museum premises, leaving the lovely garden tidy and ready for another party. It had been a good day, the helpers were tired, but were rewarded to find that the total takings were over £700, contributing to funds needed to keep the museum open for both locals and tourist alike.
Photo: Ray Prewer