Camber Castle
Castle · A ruined Henry VIII artillery fort out on the marsh, now about a mile from the sea it was built to guard.
Rye
A medieval hilltop town of cobbled streets and crooked timber houses rising above Romney Marsh.
From King's Cross St Pancras: 1 h 20 min by train · 2 h 24 min by car
Travel times by TravelTime
Time there: 6.5–11.5 h to see all 8 places
Get directionsTownCharming streetsLandmarksCastlesStately homesCathedrals & abbeysMuseumsIndependent shops
Must-see places
Lamb House
Historic house · A Georgian brick house in the heart of Rye, once home to the novelist Henry James and the setting for E. F. Benson's Mapp and Lucia books.
Rye Castle Museum and Ypres Tower
Museum · A 13th-century tower at the edge of Rye's hilltop that now forms part of Rye Castle Museum.
St Mary the Virgin Church Rye
Church · A large parish church of Norman origin above Rye, with a Tudor turret clock and a Burne-Jones window.
The Landgate
Landmark · The last of Rye's four fortified town gates, built in 1329.
Mermaid Street
Old streets · A steep cobbled lane of timber-framed and brick houses, one of the most photographed streets in Britain.
Rye Harbour Nature Reserve
Nature · A shingle and wetland reserve at the mouth of the river, with bird hides and long walking paths.
The Strand Quay
Waterfront · A working quay on the River Tillingham, lined with tarred weatherboard warehouses from Rye's trading days.
Quick facts
Rye's Bonfire night, on the second Saturday after 5 November, brings a torch-lit parade, a burning effigy and fireworks, and draws more than 10,000 visitors.
Mermaid Street, steep and cobbled, is considered one of Britain's most photographed streets, and Lamb House, where Henry James lived, is a short walk away.
Two miles downriver, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve has many miles of paths and five bird hides, and a ruined Tudor fort stands in its marshes.
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