Rye Castle (Ypres Tower)

Built in 1249 to defend the town, the Ypres Tower has served as fort, dwelling, prison, court hall and now museum.

When

Open daily, year-round (shorter hours in winter)

Where

Gungarden, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7HE

Info

Visit the official website for more details

Built around 1249 to defend the Cinque Port of Rye against French raids, the Ypres Tower has worn every hat the town could put on it — fort, private house, jail, women's prison, court hall and now museum. The squat sandstone tower with its four corner turrets looks straight out over the Romney Marsh from the top of the Citadel, and the views from the roof are the best in town. Inside, the small museum tells Rye's story through smuggling, piracy and the slow drift of the sea away from a town that was once a working harbour.

The tower is a fifteen-minute uphill walk from The River Haven. Park at the hotel, walk in through the cobbled lanes, climb to the roof for the view across the marsh, and you've covered Rye's first 800 years before lunch.