Schools – Rye Castle Museum

School Visits to Rye Castle Museum

The Museum Association welcomes school visits to both the Rye Castle and East Street sites. Educational outreach is a critical part of our mission and we offer special entry rates to visiting school groups for those who book in advance.

History of Rye, Rye History Museum, medieval history, medieval history museum, East Street Museum, east street rye, rye history museum, east street museum, Ypres tower, Ypres tower history, Ypres tower rye, rye castle museum, ypres tower, ypres castle, castle remains rye, rye east sussex castle

RCM Ypres Tower

The Tower is our main attraction and hosts exhibits on prisons, smuggling, armaments and the military. Built as a fortification some time in the 13th Century, it was sold to a Belgian named John de Iprys in 1430 to be his family home and subsequently the Tower took his name. Less than a century later, the town bought it back and made it the Court Hall. Elizabeth I almost certainly held court here when she visited the town in 1574. From 1250 onwards it also served as a prison, with additional cells added to the East wall in the 19th Century. The lower floor was the town morgue from 1891 to 1959!

In what was the prison exercise yard, a garden has been planted with medicinal herbs and other plants in practical use in Medieval times. At the foot of the garden stands the Women’s Tower, a purpose-built prison exclusively to house female inmates. It was built in 1837 after prison reformer Elizabeth Fry gave a series of lectures in Rye. The Tower, garden and Women’s Tower are collectively known as Rye Castle.

The stairs and doorways in the Tower are narrow. We advise groups of fewer than 25 at a time actively tour the Castle, but larger groups can be broken up and some can explore the surrounding area.

History of Rye, Rye History Museum, Rye East Sussex history museum, medieval history, medieval history museum, East Street Museum, east street rye, rye history museum, east street museum, Ypres tower, Ypres tower history, Ypres tower rye, rye castle museum, east street museum front, visitors entrance rye castle east street museum

RCM East Street

The Museum Association bought the building at 3 East Street in the 1990s to put more of the collection on display. It’s a short walk from the High Street and includes exhibits on ship building, pottery, hop growing and other local industries. There’s a display on EF Benson and his Mapp and Lucia books and another on John Ryan, creator of Captain Pugwash, who was a local and a great friend of the Museum.

This Museum is staffed by volunteers and is open weekends from March to October, with no charge for entry. We will open the Museum specially for you and your group at other times, for a fee.

Group Booking Risk Assessment . Group Booking Form . Access Statement