It's been named England's "most naturally beautiful town" - and it's just an hour from London.
Stunning Rye, on the East Sussex coast, was given the accolade for two years running by property experts Garrington, and has also been named "one of England's best kept secrets" by Sussexblogger.com. The picturesque town is packed with quaint cobbled streets with a history dating back to the Normans.
From a historic pub thought to be six centuries old, to golden beaches, the town is steeped in history and natural beauty and is seriously overlooked by British tourists who prefer the likes of Salcombe and Newquay. You may recognise famous Mermaid Street from pictures - it's thought to be one of England's most photographed streets and has been previously voted its most picturesque. The cobbled road winds up one of the town's hillsides and is stacked with charming houses and pubs.
The town has been settled for over a millennium, MyLondon reports, given to the Normans by King Aethelred the Unready. The red brick Lamb House is steeped in literary history, once owned by The Turn of the Screw writer Henry James. Nearby, the tower of the Norman St. Mary’s Church overlooks the town. The 14th-century Ypres Tower, which formed part of Rye’s defences against invaders, is now Rye Castle Museum with paintings and displays on local history.
Rye is just a short train ride from London (Getty Images)Natural beauty
Rye Harbour Nature Reserve is nestled at the edge of the town and provides outstanding views towards the English Channel, while being home to an array of bird species all year round. The wetlands are especially popular among birdwatchers, although it is one of the best days out in East Sussex, according to Tripadvisor. Rye is also situated at the southern edge of the High Weald, the densest area of woodland left in England, while the golden beaches of Camber Sands are only a stone's throw away.
Widow brings pillow with late husband's face on it to pub every New Year's Eve
Further afield you might also stumble across other glorious locations in the High Weald. Ticehurst, Wadhurst Kew Gardens, Northiam, and Bodiam Castle are nestled a short distance from Rye.
Home to one of Britain's most haunted pubs
As you might expect from a place like Rye, the town is absolutely full of great places to grab a pint. However, some of these establishments are not for the faint-hearted. The Mermaid Inn has been attracting pubgoers for more than 600 years, and this period has been riddled with spooky occurrences that have terrified guests. Five rooms of the inn are allegedly haunted, with people waking up in the middle of the night to find "men dressed in 16th century clothing" having a duel in the room, and an old lady in grey sitting by the fireplace.
A view of the River Rother from the historic town of Rye (Getty Images)General manager Martin Blincow told SussexLive in March last year that the iconic establishment has become even more popular since the start of the pandemic. "Lockdown actually benefited us as people came here instead of going abroad. Many people seem to have discovered Rye over the past couple of years," he said.
Other enchanting pubs include The George Inn where you can treat yourself to a pint of the local ale Chapel Down. You can also find local craft beers at the little Rye Waterworks Micropub, set at the site of a 300-year-old former water pump - rated the best pub in Sussex according to TripAdvisor.
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