Rye (2)

Introduction

This is the second set of photos from our Rye holiday. (First set.)

Wednesday: Hastings

On Wednesday we took the train to Hastings, the nearest large town. We began by walking through the town a bit and then climbing West Hill to the castle.

Looking up at the wall above a small garden within the town.
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°51′22″N 0°35′24″E
St Clements (probably not the one that says ‘oranges and lemons’).
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°51′26″N 0°35′25″E

The castle dungeons (which are now thought more likely to have been used as storerooms) basically feel like a small cave system with a couple of branches, only a few steps down from a wide-open entrance. Even so, they were blissfully cool amid the heatwave.

Face in the dungeon wall.
1/30 at f2.8, 23mm, ISO1600 50°51′22″N 0°35′5″E

We emerged to look around the castle ruins, and watched the next showing of their history film.

Castle ruins. (Most of the castle has already fallen into the sea.)
1/1000 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°51′22″N 0°35′5″E
View toward the pier.
1/1000 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°51′21″N 0°35′6″E

Before leaving we went back into the dungeons, because they were just that nice.

Crack in roof with roots.
1/15 at f4, 23mm, ISO1600 50°51′22″N 0°35′5″E
T-junction.
1/15 at f4, 23mm, ISO1600 50°51′23″N 0°35′5″E

Then we walked along part of the seafront before taking the cliff railway (funicular) to the top of East Hill.

Lifeboat house.
1/1000 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°51′17″N 0°35′29″E
Side of a hut, something to do with fishing I think. (And definitely not drug sales.)
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°51′19″N 0°35′31″E
Traditional boarded sheds.
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°51′21″N 0°35′36″E
The two cars passing each other as we waited for the funicular.
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°51′22″N 0°35′41″E

We did take a quick look around at the top of the hill, but as previously noted, it was hot, so we went back down again before long.

View over car park and beach from part way down.
1/1000 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°51′24″N 0°35′43″E
Entrance to East Hill Lift.
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°51′22″N 0°35′41″E

It was too late to go to the museum, so we ditched that plan and stopped somewhere for cake instead, then got the train back to Rye.

Nice green building on the corner of George Street and Russell Court (I like the full stops).
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°51′21″N 0°35′19″E
Some serious columnage.
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°51′19″N 0°35′4″E

Back in Rye...

A pink shop (being refurbished).
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°57′4″N 0°43′55″E

Thursday: Rye

On Thursday we went to see the town model in the tourist information centre. It’s a model of the entire old town of Rye, with fancy lighting and a slide projection as it tells you the town history. I thought it was actually quite good. Other than that, we wandered around town a bit.

Grammar School Records.
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°57′3″N 0°44′1″E
Conduit Hill, where the town water supply used to run.
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°57′5″N 0°44′4″E
Water works (now a pub).
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°57′8″N 0°44′2″E
Junction of Mermaid Street and West Street (right near our flat).
1/1000 at f8, 23mm, ISO200
Somebody’s gate.
1/1000 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°57′2″N 0°43′46″E
End wall of Rye Pottery’s building. Sign: something-ing works?
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°57′0″N 0°43′48″E
Winston Cottage (middle), another house, and a converted church.
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°56′58″N 0°44′1″E
Reflections in basement windows, West Street.
1/250 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°56′59″N 0°44′0″E
Doors to medieval cellars, West Street.
1/250 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°56′59″N 0°44′0″E
Crooked chimney, West Street.
1/250 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°56′59″N 0°44′0″E
Chimney shadow, West Street.
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°57′0″N 0°43′57″E

I went out for another walk in the dark.

Archway in the Gun Garden, near the castle.
1/15 at f2, 23mm, ISO1600
Parish church.
1/15 at f2, 23mm, ISO1600

Friday: Appledore

On another very hot day, we walked along the river to the Royal Military Canal, then along the canal to the village of Appledore and back on the train.

Railway bridge near Rye, with sheep sheltering from the sun.
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°57′21″N 0°44′22″E
Footprints of a giant bird by the River Rother.
1/1000 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°57′46″N 0°44′52″E
Seagulls on wooden pilings.
1/1000 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°57′53″N 0°44′55″E
Crossing a bridge over a ‘sewer’ that drains water from the marshes into the river.
1/1000 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°57′55″N 0°44′56″E
Flood control gates over the river.
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 50°58′11″N 0°45′1″E

The Royal Military Canal is very straight and rather dull. It was constructed as a defensive line in case Napoleon invaded.

Large tree by the canal.
1/1000 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°0′19″N 0°46′23″E
Trees and fencing by the point where Reading Sewer joins the canal.
1/1000 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°1′21″N 0°46′54″E
Fallen tree.
1/1000 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°1′22″N 0°46′56″E

The canal was even reinforced slightly in case of a German invasion in World War 2.

Pillbox.
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°1′39″N 0°47′22″E

Appledore has quite a nice church, but is annoyingly far from its railway station.

Shadows near the altar rail in the church.
1/60 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°1′46″N 0°47′25″E

After we got back to Rye, I went out at night again.

Traders Passage (I think).
1/15 at f2.8, 23mm, ISO800
Landgate.
1/15 at f2.8, 23mm, ISO1600

The end

That’s it - we had a nice holiday, Rye is a very pretty little town (also, the Cobbles tea room is great). On the Saturday we had to get up very early to catch the fast train back into London and then all the way up to Hull for my parents’ golden wedding lunch! But we made it on time.

All images © Samuel Marshall. All rights reserved.