Mick Paskins Blog

Rye

Rye

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  • Thu 3rd Aug

    Left home after lunch, an easy drive to Rye, via Autogas station and a shoe shop in Bexhill. We have gone away principally to escape Brighton Pride, Preston Park closed from yesterday until next Wednesday. And, a weekend of pounding pop music, news helicopters overhead. Ghastly. Arrived just after 3.00 pm, parked up, met a few people and cooked a excellent roast. Well, I would call it excellent, I cooked it!

    Fri 4th Aug

    After a convivial tea and cake morning meet up, went into Rye, just wandered around in splendid weather. Ended up at the church, some useful benches in the shade, as it was getting rather warm. And, the church tower was open, a must do. And very interesting and worth while it was. Great views from the top.
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    The route up and down the tower was interesting……

    The first stairs down
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    The second stairs…..
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    The bell room, not all in the photo….
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    And, next floor down, the clock….
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    Installed in 1561/2, it is the oldest church turret clock, and was second hand, thought to have originally been in Hampton Court Palace.

  • Going down, continued
    The next flight, and passage.
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    From then on, the going was easy.
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    The inside of the church. They celebrated their 900th anniversary in 2003.
    An interesting board in the church recalls an event, in 1377, French raiders burnt down Rye, and pinched, amongst other things, the bells. Subsequently, the men of Rye, assisted by the men of Winchelsea, sailed to France, and recovered much of the property, including the bells.

    Rest of the afternoon spent enjoyably playing a very silly outside game with blocks of wood and a baton to knock them down. Around 20 of us being silly.

  • Sat 5th Aug
    Day started grey and squally, but we decided to go back into Rye, visit the museum and Lamb House (a national trust property). Never actually made it to either. Wandered around town, and ended up in a cafe, and had Brunch. Turned out to be quite substantial. Their tea needed working on, was very weedy. Left the cafe about midday, squalls gave way to rain. Tried scurrying back to MH in strengthening wind and rain. Finally got back, wet coats, wet shoes, wet trousers, wet us, wet dog.
    The advantage of going away in the summer is that the temperature is warm, we can leave the door open, and the windows don’t steam up.
    Didn’t do much for the rest of the day. Slept.
  • Sun 6th Aug
    Back into Rye, this time in pleasant cool weather, a good deal of sunshine. And, no rain!

    First stop Ypres Tower, the remains of a castle, built on the orders of King Henry III in 1249, and named after an occupant, John de Iprys. Nothing to do with the infamous 1st World War battle.

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    The tower, modest size, but packed with so many artefacts and displays inside. Really interesting, a good deal of history explained, and not dumbed down. A small but very welcomed treat.

    After that, and our packed lunch eaten on a nearby bench, we went to Lamb House, named after the first family to live in it, but became a literary hub from 1897, when Henry James leased the property, and subsequently purchased it. Many authors and artists visited and stayed there subsequently.

    An interesting earlier story, Lamb House was first occupied in 1723, and in 1726 King George 1st’s ship ran aground in storm at Camber Sands, and Lamb House was considered the most appropriate emergency accommodation for a king. He stayed for four days, but it must have been a difficult time for the Lambs, as Mrs Lamb was about to give birth. The King subsequently became godfather to the child.

    A very interesting visit, and then an excellent pub, Rye Waterworks MicroPub. Built as a waterworks until it became a soup kitchen in 1890 ( does anything ever change…), it then became the first micro brewery in East Sussex. A fine pint, called, appropriately, “Waterworks”.

    Josie seems to have a thorn or something in her front paw, cannot see anything, but it is clearly troubling her. Not much we can do here in Rye on a bank holiday.
    Just re read my calendar – bank holiday Scotland!

    Rye vet, no appointments available. Our vet, no vet until next Monday. Emergency vet, no appointments, phone 8.00am tomorrow. Just when we are likely to be travelling back. And, phones will be a nightmare……..

  • Update
    Jodie’s foot now seems ok, so to celebrate, she rolled in some fox poo.

    Now cleaned up, she went into a sulk, but pleased to report, we are again friends.

  • Tue 8th Aug
    All seems to be well with Josie, no sign of her limping. Sue found a sharp thorn in her bed, maybe that was the problem.
    Easy drive back to Brighton, vehicle unloaded, post delt with, and all before the rain started……….
    Hopefully, Preston Park will be available sometime tomorrow. It isn’t yet. Grrrr…..