For a small town Rye has got a rich historical past which can be traced back well before the Norman Conquest. At the time Rye was based by the sea and was known as a beautiful fishing village. The sea has since retreated and is now over two miles away from the town centre. The infamous Manor of Rameslie was owned by the conveniently named Ethelred the Unready. Ethelred was surprised by the Danes in 1014 and was forced out of Rye. Fortunately for him the Abbey of Fecamp in Normandy came to Ethelred's rescue offering shelter. Because of this great show of charity the Manor of Rameslie was passed on to the Abbey of Fecamp after Ethelred's death. Rye also has a great history of producing very accomplished writers and with all the history and inspiration around the town you can understand why! Literary geniuses like H.G. Wells, Conrad Aiken, Henry James, G.K. Chesterton and Joseph Conrad are well known for their times spent in and around Rye. Although maybe not as well known the most popular author in Rye is E.F. Benson known for writing fictional stories on the town of Tilling" There are special tours around the Rye area to celebrate his stories and how they went. Great for people who haven't read the books and even better for the ones who have! Another literary favourite of the area is the American writer, Henry James. It is said that he was visited at his home by H.G. Wells, Joseph Conrad and Rudyard Kipling. The house (later lived in by E.F.Benson) is now open to the public during week days so you can sample some of the atmosphere of genius.
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