by Janis / 2 comments - Orginally published:1st February 2017

A story of smugglers and ghosts

What better combination….? Although we have visited Rye many times previously and strolled the ancient cobbled streets, we hadn’t ventured into the infamous Mermaid Inn before.

Occasionally the Mermaid Inn conducts guided tours of this historical tavern. You have to follow their Facebook page for their schedule of events, or check out their site, but If you get the chance, it's a must.

From the outside the Inn is imposing, it's current iteration was rebuilt in 1420, and has grown over the following centuries

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Where is the Mermaid Inn

How to get to the Mermaid Inn

- By Train
You can catch a from London, depart from London St Pancras International, change at Ashford International and onto Rye (East Sussex). The Journey time is around 1 hour 17 minutes. The Mermaid Inn is located about 0.2mile (400m) from the train station and is around a 5-8 minute uphill walk along the cobbled streets of Rye.

- By Car
Rye is served by many car parks around town. The closest one is the Rope Street car park, a 6-minute walk away. The postcode is TN31 7NA, or what3words ///songbirds.loudly.prude . If you are staying at the Mermaid Inn there is parking onsite with 4 EV charging points (That need to be booked in advance)

A bit of history on the Mermaid Inn

And there's a lot of it

In the 12th century, the 'Mermaid' stood on its current site and was built of wattle, daub, lathe and plaster.

This was a thriving inn. Rye was a busy port contributing to the King's Fleet as an Ancient Town of Cinque Ports.

During a French raid on the town in 1377, every building that wasn't built of stone, was destroyed. That included the Mermaid Inn.

Feb / 2022

Discovering the Cinque Ports in Kent and East Sussex

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Still, from its ashes, the Mermaid Inn was rebuilt in 1420 over the original cellar by using ships timbers and Sussex oak. Much of the original material remains today.
A sign painted at the entrance to the mermaid inn in rye informed you that it was rebuilt in 1420.
Rebuilt in 1420
Descend to the cellar, the mermaid inn, visit rye, places to visit in england, historic england, quaint towns in england
Descend to the cellar
The Norman cellar has been dated to the mid-12th century and is still used today as a wine store.

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Discovering the Mermaid Inn, Rye

And so to the tour…

We were greeted by Judith, part owner of the Inn. A lovely enthusiastic lady, with a true passion for the Mermaid and its story.

The Mermaid has a lovely warm atmosphere, glowing log fires burning in the ancient stone fire places, through the chambers, making it feel very cosy.

A roaring fire in the cosy lounge of the mermaid inn in rye, east sussex
The lounge at the Mermaid Inn

However, some say there is a spooky feel to this 15th-century inn, given its past, that cannot be discounted.

Guided through into the rear of the inn to The Giants' Fireplace bar (open to the public), you get a feel of how dark and intimate this may have been.

The rustic-looking medieval Giants' bar with dark heavy timbers and dried hops hanging from the ceiling
The bar at the Mermaid Inn
With the enormous open fire, the smoke haze would have hidden many a 'ne're do well'.
The Giants' Fireplace, featuring a roaring log fire in a medieval-looking grate in the public bar of the mermaid inn in rye, east sussex
The Giants' Fireplace
You can walkthrough part of the Inn courtesy of Google.

The history of the Mermaid Inn

The smugglers

Smugglers were suspected of frequenting the Mermaid Inn, particularly around the 1730s and 1740s, when the notorious Hawkhurst Gang were at their height.

This gang was infamous from Kent to Dorset and had numbers of around 500 to 600 men.

The rustic-looking medieval Giants' fireplace with dark heavy timbers with a roaring fire
The Giants' fireplace bar at Mermaid Inn
There are tales of the gang sitting around tables with tankards of ale, smoking pipes, and loaded flintlock pistols on the tables ready for action. They were fearsome, and local magistrates were powerless to stop them. The spirits said to frequent the inn are reputed to have met their gruesome ends at the hands of these vagabonds.

The Reformation in England

The secret stairways
Within the fabric of the inn, there are quite a few secret stairways & doors dotted around the Mermaid. These would have served to aid Papalist priests escaping protestant persecution, or indeed anyone trying to avoid capture.
A secret dark wooden door in the corner of the medieval Giants' fireplace bar that has been in place since the time of the English Reformation
Secret passages at the Mermaid Inn

For the current-day guests of the Inn, discreet handles have been added, which makes them look a little more conspicuous than they once did.

We climb one of the 11 staircases woven within the Mermaid inn and enter ‘Dr Syn’s Bedchamber’. Named after Dr Syn, the fictitious character by the author Russell Thorndike, this character is based on the factual ‘Hawkhurst Gang’.

A hidden door disguised as a bookcase in one of the room in the mermaid inn in rye, east sussex
Just a bookcase at the Mermaid Inn

We exit through the secret door hidden by a bookcase; Judith points out the bookcase is modern, but the passageway is not.

This exit also hides a discreet toilet for a hideaway to use.

A Royal visit to the Mermaid Inn

A rather special room
We enter the ‘Elizabethan bed chamber, so named as Elizabeth I stayed at the Mermaid Inn during her visit in 1573 and named the town ‘Rye Royal’.
A large dark oak carved four-poster bed in the Elizabethan bed chamber at the Mermaid Inn in rye, east sussex
The Elizabethan bed chamber
This room slopes slightly in the corner. It is believed this may have occurred during the air raids in August 1940. The Inn was so sturdy that other than roof tile damage, little else was affected. The same couldn’t be said for other buildings in Rye.

Map, guides and more

If you want to discover more of the East Sussex landscape around Rye then why not pick up an OS map, we'd recommend the 'Map of Romney Marsh', which covers Rye & Winchelsea Tenterden & New Romney.

Alternatively, why not purchase and download the OS Maps App, which covers all of Great Britain.

The hauntings at the Mermaid Inn

Mysterious goings on

Heading on to the next room (I don’t want to divulge the room number just in case you stay there), we pass by an old rocking chair.
This rocking chair has been known to rock of its own volition, without anyone sitting in it.

A small rocking chair that's said to be haunted in a hallway in the Mermaid Inn in rye, east sussex
The rocking chair
A small four-poster bed in a dark wood-panelled bedroom at the Mermaid Inn in rye, east sussex
Are you alone??

The next room, said to be one of the most haunted at the Mermaid, has had guests saying that they have awoken in the morning and noticed that Somebody had moved items of clothing from one chair to another.

In past times some chambermaids would not have entered the room on their own; they would only go in pairs.

Treasures in the Mermaid Inn

The mural
We walk back down and through the pleasant dining room, with Judith telling us more spooky stories as we go.
A hand-painted mural on the wall of the Mermaid Inn said to depict 15/16th-century scene of Shakespearian players performing
The Shakespearian mural at the Mermaid Inn
At the end of the dining room, we were greeted with a beautiful mural which has been restored, depicting a band and folks singing and dancing in front of dignitaries.

The oldest part of the Mermaid Inn

The Norman cellar
We then proceed down to the Norman cellar dating from around 1156.
Peeking through the iron bars to the well stock cellar at the Mermaid Inn in rye, east sussex
The cellar at the Mermaid Inn
The cellar, which has a barrel-vaulted ceiling, is still used today as a wine cellar.

If you're intrigued by Sussex's fascinating past and weird and wonderful history around the county, then take a peek at "The A-Z of Curious Sussex".

You won't be able to put it down, you can pick it up for your Kindle or in good old paperback.

The cover to the book - 'The A-Z of Curious Sussex'

The Mermaid Inn in culture

Dr Syn’s Chamber
To finish the tour, we enter Dr Syn’s Chamber, which is lined with oak panels and inscriptions upon them.
A brass plaque depicting the fictitious character of Dr Syn, affixed to a heavy wood door at the entrance Dr Syn's Chamber at the mermaid inn in rye, east sussex
The entrance to Dr Syn's Chamber
Judith chats to us about the latest history that has been uncovered regarding the Mermaid Inn.
The Dr Syn's Chamber, with its deep red leather sofas and open fireplace beneath a dark timbered roof at the mermaid inn in rye, east sussex
Image Caption

A researcher discovered a document confirming that in 1597, the Mayor of Rye drew up a contract to pay the Shakespeare Company 20 guineas.

With the depictions in the mural and other quotes and tales around the Inn, indications are that William Shakespeare may also have frequented the Mermaid.

Stay at the Mermaid Inn?

I hope you agree the Mermaid Inn is rather special. A stay here is extra special. Why not book yourself in for a couple of nights and explore Rye at your leisure
(Using our Booking.com link won't cost you any more, and the small commission we earn helps support this site)

The Mermaid Inn's charitable cause

Token of appreciation
The tour lasts around 45 minutes and is free of charge, all Judith asks is that you make a donation to The National Deaf Children's Society, which is close to her heart.
Image

Rye Tourist Information

If you'd like to discover more of Rye, and the 1066 country, (that's East Sussex to you and me), then why not pop along to Visit1066Country website for more information?

Some last facts about the Mermaid Inn

Interesting little titbits
In 1980 Her Majesty the Queen Mother became the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. In 1982, she visited Rye and the Mermaid Inn was given the honour of organizing a luncheon party.

As the Mermaid Inn is thought to be haunted, it has appeared on the TV programme ‘Most Haunted’.

It now has dedicated evenings when the Inn is closed and visitors are welcome to roam the hotel as they please, to find the elusive ghouls.

Exploring Rye

A quaint little town to be discovered
Although the Mermaid Inn has a rich past, the lovely quaint English town of Rye has an abundant history for you to discover.
A rustic lantern hanging below a twisted wisteria trunk weaving its way over the half-timbered entrance to the medieval mermaid in rye, east sussex
The entrance to the Mermaid Inn
The cobbled pathway leading from the rear of the Mermaid Inn to the historic mermaid street in rye, east sussex
Cobbled courtyard at the Mermaid Inn

A day could easily be spent strolling through the cobbled streets and lanes where smugglers once roamed.

It's a touch more civilised these days, and if you would like to discover a little more, then why not check out our post - 'The Ancient Town of Rye, East Sussex'?

Jan / 2017

The Ancient Town of Rye, East Sussex

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The view down the cobbled mermaid street in rye, east sussex, at dusk, on a winter's day, with the mermaid inn to our right
Outside the Mermaid in at dusk

We have created a little YouTube video of  Rye too, which includes a glimpse at the Mermaid Inn.  Why not take a look?

You could subscribe to our YouTube channel and get the latest clips as we post them.

* This post may contain links to affiliated sites where we earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.

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  1. Reply

    I loved our stay there. The history is overwhelming as is the Inn. I just can’t say enough good things about this place. If you love history and charm, this is the place to visit. It is truly one of a kind.

    1. Author
      Reply

      Yes, it’s a beautiful place full of so much character. I loved the Giant’s fireplace in the tavern at the back.

      Did you happen to see any ghosts?

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