Rye in East Sussex has been named the UK’s best seaside town – but it’s actually almost three miles from the coastline
There’s a town that has consistently been crowned the UK’s top seaside spot, despite it not being located on the doorstep to the sea.
Rye, situated in East Sussex, is nearly three miles from the water’s edge, yet it continues to be celebrated alongside other coastal towns in a consumer magazine ranking. Other locations that made the cut in the Which? magazine list include Bamburgh in Northumberland, Dartmouth in Devon, and Portstewart in Northern Ireland. According to travel website 1066 Country, Rye’s allure lies in its charming pubs, boutique hotels, and fashionable eateries.
The Express reveals that the town was once a fishing village close to the sea, but shifting tides have pushed the English Channel several miles away. Originally part of the Manor of Rameslie, it was pledged to the Abbey of Fécamp by Ethelred the Unready after he sought refuge there in 1014. When Normandy was returned to the French in 1205, Rye also became French and didn’t rejoin the English Crown until 42 years later, according to 1066 Country.
To bolster its defences, a wall and four gates were constructed, remnants of which can still be seen today. During medieval times, Rye was on the frontline of defence, a role that exempted the town from tax and custom duties. However, it wasn’t immune to attacks from the French, including a devastating fire in 1377 that almost razed the town to the ground.
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Nowadays, it’s more likely to be swarmed by tourists drawn to the Ypres Tower at Rye Castle and the medieval allure of Mermaid Street. Other attractions include Rye Nature Reserve, St Mary’s Church and the town’s eateries, which have received accolades from TimeOut magazine. Notable among these are The Globe Inn Marsh, known for its seafood, and Mermaid Street Cafe, famed for its cream teas.
Bargain hunters will delight in the antique shops dotted along Mermaid Street, including Strand Quay Antiques and Alex MacArthur Interiors on Conduit Hill. The historic town also boasts a selection of pubs, such as The George Inn, Rye Waterworks Micropub, Ypres Castle Inn and The Mermaid Inn, whose cellars date back to 1156.
The closest seaside spot is Camber Sands, just a three-mile stroll from Rye. As reported by SussexLive, members of the East Sussex Naturists club are known to frequent the town. The influx of these and other visitors has boosted the town’s reputation, with Rye securing the 25th spot in Which? magazine’s survey of British seaside towns.
St Andrews in Fife has been crowned the best seaside town in Scotland, while Portmeirion in Gwynedd takes the title in Wales. In Northern Ireland, Portstewart in Londonderry/Derry has been honoured as the top spot by a consumer magazine.
However, at the lower end of the scale, Clacton-on-Sea and Skegness found themselves at the bottom of the rankings. They received an average three out of five stars for their beaches, with visitors unimpressed by their «run-down seafronts».
Despite this, some survey participants highlighted Clacton’s «lovely» seafront gardens and its «fantastic» annual airshow as major draws, while Skegness was commended for its «old-fashioned» appeal, donkey rides, aquarium, and arcade.
