The Parish Church of St. Mary is situated at the highest point of Rye, dominating the surrounding countryside and coast. It was first built in 1103 but the town was looted by the French in 1377 and the church was extensively damaged. The Church was subsequently rebuilt with flying buttresses for strength. The present bells in the bell tower date from 1775. The Church has the oldest working church tower clock in England. I explored this beautiful old Church and climbed the bell tower to see the inner workings of the bell and clock system. A very precarious stairway led to the roof, which offered an unbeatable view of Rye (you will find those shots in the “Rye From A Rooftop” gallery).
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