The Ypres Tower, Rye's famous landmark and oldest building now home to the Castle Museum
Historic St Thomas Church Winchelsea, once the size of a mighty cathedral
Camber Sands Beach, just a short walk from Camber Sands Holiday Park. www.park-resorts.com
Gift Shops & Specialist Shopping in RyeThe fascinating history of the far East Sussex historic towns and villages - Rye, Winchelsea and Camber is intricately linked with the sea and the story of a shifting coastline. The great storms of the medieval years between 1233 and 1288 resulted in dramatic changes. Old Winchelsea for example was lost to the storms and relocated by order of Edward I to its current position 3 miles inland on the elevated Iham Hill.
Central historic medieval Cinque port Rye contains a host of heritage medieval buildings alongside charming antique and bookshops, tearooms, fine restaurants, country pubs, a heritage centre and castle museum. The Rye Harbour Area is now a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and a haven for wildlife. A choice of walks and trails are around the nature reserve.
Nearby Winchelsea boasts one of Britain's best collection of medieval historic buildings and the coastal Winchelsea Beach shingle is another haven for wildlife and popular with windsurfers and for coastal walking along the seawall towards the Fairlight Cliffs. Family holidays are also on the menu in the area. The glorious golden sandy miles of flat Camber Sands beach backed on by beautiful sand dunes is one of Sussex's top family beaches. The Camber area contains a superb choice of family holiday parks and caravan parks.
Ancient Winchelsea is a Sussex historic gem boasting one of the finest collections of heritage medieval buildings in Britain. One of Edward I's New Towns, Winchelsea was relocated on Iham Hill 3 miles inland when Old Winchelsea on the onetime spit was lost to the great medieval storms between 1233 and 1288.
Hertiage buildings in Winchelsea include St Thomas Church, once the size of a large cathedral and the old Court Hall, now site for the town's museum. Historic country inns, ancient medieval gatehouses, cosy tearooms and specialist shops all feature at Winchelsea. Winchelsea Beach village sits just to the south of Winchelsea centre. The peaceful shingle beach here is fronted by a seawall offering spectacular coastal walks with views towards the Fairlight Cliffs and inland to the High Weald countryside. Winchelsea beach is also a popular Sussex coast spot for windsurfing.
Camber village and adjacent stunning flat sandy Camber Sands Beach and dunes sits to east of Rye on the edge of Romney Marsh and the Kent border. The Camber area was once an island with Camber village situated on a long spit. Camber, like neighbouring Rye, was a popular haunt for smuggling during the 1800s.
Today sees Camber and Camber Sands beach as one of the most popular coastal areas in Sussex for family beach holidays as well as for watersports such as kitesurfing and surfing. Camber Sands beach is also popular for horse riding. The miles of golden sands here are perfect for families and Camber boasts a superb choice of family holiday parks and caravan parks. The dunes which back on to the beach are home to around 250 species of plants and animals.
