With my Rye Heritage Centre manager’s hat on I went out this week accompanied by Heritage Ted (see below) who I know many of you have been following on Instagram and Facebook – the mission to find somewhere he could pose for publicity photographs to promote the heritage of Rye to all our followers and supporters.
We headed down to the Gun Garden as the cannons in the foreground, and the amazing view as a back drop, would make a lovely photograph, and the end result you can see below.
The next pose was an action shot with the telescope and as you can see, Ted had his eye on the estuary and the boats – not as sunny as we would have hoped, but what an amazing vista. However, sitting on piles of cannon balls is not recommended!!
I then thought that with his head stuck in the stocks next to the Ypres Inn, this photo would look good in Ted’s album but, “sacré bleu”, “zut alors” and all that, all of a sudden I realised something was conspicuous by its absence, the stocks had disappeared. But where and why? Or is it just a case of stock down in lockdown?
Where the stocks once stood is now a patch of cleared ground with a private sign taking pride of place. End of an era, stock control ? You tell me.
This was once a talking point, and an ideal opportunity for visitors to stop and pose for selfies, before moving on, or stopping at the pub for a drink, but alas no more. It must have been moved for good reason (I assume) but it gives a whole new meaning to the commonly used phrase, stock clearance.
Undeterred, Ted continued on his travels and more highlights of his tour of the town will shortly appear on the Heritage Centre Instagram (@ryeheritage) posts and on Facebook. Follow the bear for more thrilling adventures.
Image Credits: Instagram , Nick Forman .
I may be wrong but things like public liability and H&S might be the reason, once you step over the edge you’re on private property and the stocks would be an invite to do just that.
A slip on wet/damp grass and who’s liable?
Might be completely wrong and the owners just don’t want an endless stream of people on their land.
Or are they just being tarted up now the lock down is over?
Jeff, the landlord of The Ypres, posted on Instagram that the stocks have been donated to Rye Castle Museum, where they will be displayed in the courtyard. The reason he gave was that tourists were taking risks on the steep slope to take selfies with the stocks.
Not to be perdant but they are pillories not stocks. Stocks were for the feet only.
Thank you for mentioning this. I was just about to do so…Maybe the Museum could invest in a set of stocks, too.
Mystery solved, thanks Paul.
I am SO happy to learn the pillories are safe! Could they be put in Gun Garden in the Gun area as I believe more people would see and enjoy them. Locals do not go in and out of the museum but we do walk through the garden and have so enjoyed them being part of the everyday Rye scene
Excellent suggestion Pamela Buxton! Much better place for them.
Great to see Ted out and about exploring what Rye has to offer! He also seems to be keeping a close eye on what’s happening around the town too! Keep up the good work Ted!