Rye Harbour

This is Rye's ancient harbour. Medieval maps show that Rye was located on a huge bay in the English Channel but the harbour is about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the open sea.

900 years ago, this harbour provided a safe anchorage. In 1189, the town became a member of the Confederation of Cinque Ports. This group of ports along the South Coast received special privileges from the King in return for providing ships and men for the navy in times of war. Under this royal protection, Rye became a thriving port. Wines were imported from France and wool was exported to the continent.

But adter the 14th century, the thriving maritime trade was threatened by town things. The first threat was long shore drift. This is a process where sand or shingle from beaches is gradually moved along the coastline. Where these materials move across a bay or mouth of an estuary, they can change the flow of the water.

The second threat was land reclamation. In the marshes, landowners started draining land for agricultural use. This reduced the natural ti's flow which normally kept the river channels clear. So, as a result of both of these processes, Rye Harbour began to silt up.

Trade moved to more accessible ports elsewhere along the coast and the people of Rye had to find alternative means of earning a living.