Rye Castle
{{Short description|Castle in Rye, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name=Rye Castle
| partof=the City of Rye
| location=East Sussex
| country=England
| image=Rye Castle - Ypres Tower.jpg
| alt=The Ypres Tower
| caption=The Ypres Tower
| pushpin_map=East Sussex
| pushpin_map_alt=Location in East Sussex
| pushpin_map_caption=Location in East Sussex
| coordinates = {{coord|50|56|59.35|N|0|44|8.11|E|region:GB-ESX_type:landmark|display=it}}
| type=Castle
| ownership=
| operator=
| open_to_public=Yes
| condition=Standing
| builder=King Henry III
| used=1249-
| fate=
| battles=
| website=
}}
Rye Castle, also known as Ypres Tower, was built in the 13th or 14th centuries, and is situated in Rye, East Sussex, England. It is a Grade I listed building and has been scheduled as an ancient monument.{{NHLE |desc=Ypres Tower and part of Rye Town Wall |grade=Scheduled ancient monument |num=1002302 |access-date=8 March 2020 }}
History
The exact date of construction is unclear although the possibility of creating a castle at Rye was mentioned in documents of 1226 and 1249. In 1329 Murage was applied for and works carried out during the 14th century before and after attacks by the French. Rye became one of the Cinque Ports and was involved in both defence and trade.{{cite web |title=The History of the Cinque Ports |url=http://ryemuseum.co.uk/the-history-of-the-cinque-ports/ |publisher=Rye Museum |access-date=8 March 2020}} It was originally called "Baddings Tower".{{cite web |title=Rye Ypres Tower |url=http://www.gatehouse-gazetteer.info/English%20sites/1113.html |publisher=Gatehouse |access-date=8 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910162913/http://www.gatehouse-gazetteer.info/English%20sites/1113.html |archive-date=10 September 2016 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Ypres Tower |url=https://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1395247 |website=Pastscape |publisher=Historic England |access-date=8 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929233033/http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1395247 |archive-date=29 September 2017 |url-status=live }}
During King Henry VIII's Device Fort programme, an artillery battery, known as the Gun Garden, was constructed adjacent to the castle overlooking the harbour.{{cite book |last=Grehan |first=John |date=2012 |title=Battleground Sussex: A Military History of Sussex From the Iron Age to the Present Day |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UFbigCLAnQ0C&pg=PA100 |location=Barnsley, South Yorkshire |publisher=Pen & Sword Military |page=100 |isbn=978-1848846616}} It was rearmed at the time of the Spanish Armada of 1588,Grehan 2012, p. 80 and again during the 18th century wars with France. In 1830, it was still in active service with 18 guns.{{cite book |last=Allen |first=Thomas |author-link=Thomas Allen (topographer) |date=1830 |title=History of the Counties of Surrey and Sussex: Volume 2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jW_TYlEGWZUC&pg=PA623 |location=London |publisher=I. T. Hinton |page=623 }}p. 628
The castle may have been used as a prison and in 1430 became the property of John de Iprys; which lead to the name Ypres Tower. In the 16th century it was used as a prison and courthouse with a full-time gaoler being appointed in 1796.{{cite web |title=Rye Historic Character Assessment Report |url=https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/media/1744/rye_eus_report_maps.pdf |publisher=West Sussex |access-date=8 March 2020|page=25}} An exercise yard was added and then a women's prison in 1837.{{NHLE |desc={{as written|Wom|ens' [sic]|expecting=Women's}} Tower, former prison cells and exercise yard |num=1433223 |access-date=8 March 2020}} The prison function continued until 1891. It then became the town's morgue.{{cite web |title=Rye Castle and Town Defences |url=http://www.castlesfortsbattles.co.uk/south_east/rye_castle.html |publisher=Castles Forts Battles |access-date=8 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190310120044/http://www.castlesfortsbattles.co.uk/south_east/rye_castle.html |archive-date=10 March 2019 |url-status=live }}
The tower was damaged during air raids in World War II but has been repaired and restored since then.
Architecture
File:Gibbet with skeleton in Ypres Tower cell, Rye Castle.jpg with skeleton in the cell in the tower]]
The three-storey castle is of iron-stained sandstone. It has a square plan with a round towers at each corner. The door in the north side is protected by a portcullis.
Rye Castle Museum
Ypres Tower is one of two sites of Rye Castle Museum and is a grade I listed building.{{NHLE|num=1251521|desc=THE YPRES TOWER |access-date=27 July 2014}} Exhibits in the tower include locally-made medieval pottery, an embroidery depicting many aspects of Rye life and history, medieval artifacts, activities and town maps.
The East Street Site, a former brewer's bottling factory, is the main exhibit area for the Rye Castle Museum. Opened in 1999,[http://www.ryemuseum.co.uk/index.php/museum-site/east-street-site/ East Street Site] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100130105022/http://www.ryemuseum.co.uk/index.php/museum-site/east-street-site/ |date=30 January 2010 }} the local history exhibits include fire fighting equipment, trade changes caused by the sea's retreat, maritime history and shipbuilding, antique toys and games, photos, town seals, and archaeological artifacts.{{cite web |title=Rye Castle Museum (East Street) |url=https://www.visit1066country.com/things-to-do/rye-castle-museum-east-street-p57863 |publisher=Visit 1066 Country |access-date=8 March 2020}}{{cite web |title=Rye Castle Museum |url=https://englandrover.com/listing/rye-castle-museum/ |publisher=England Rover |access-date=8 March 2020}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline}}
- {{Official website|http://www.ryemuseum.co.uk/ }}
Category:Castles in East Sussex
Category:Museums in East Sussex
Category:History museums in East Sussex
Category:Local museums in East Sussex