Page 81 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - England's South Coast

KENT AND SUSSEX  79

VISITORS’ CHECKLIST i Winchelsea
East Sussex. Map E2. * 2,200 3 @
Practical Information ∑ winchelsea.net
East Sussex. Map E2. * 4,500.
n Strand Quay; 01797 226696. Just 3 km (2 miles) to the
( Wed & Fri. _ Rye Festival: south of Rye is the small town
Sep. ∑ visit1066country.com of Winchelsea, which is set above
Transport one of the finest beaches on the
3 @ Station Approach. southeast coast. At the behest
of Edward I, the town was moved
to its present position in 1288,
St Mary’s Church after most of the Old Town on
The church’s turret clock (1561) lower land to the southeast was
is believed to be the oldest drowned by the same storm that
working clock in the country. diverted the River Rother in 1287.
Winchelsea is probably Britain’s
first coherently planned medieval
Hastings and Land Gate was built in town. Although not all of it was
railway station the 14th century and built as originally planned, its
is the only survivor of rectangular grid survives today.
the fortified town’s Just beyond the edges of
D C I N Q U E P O R T S T R E E T original four gates.
A the present-day town are
O the remains of three of the
R
T O W E R S T R E E T original gates – showing

L
just how big Winchelsea
T L
E I was when first envisaged.
K H
R T The Church of St Thomas
A I Becket dates back to the
M D U same period as the town’s
N medieval gates. Several
O
C raids by the French during
T H I G H S T R E E T the 14th century damaged
E H I L D E R S C L I F F
E T the church, but it was rebuilt
R E and has well-preserved,
T E
S R beautifully carved tombs.
T
N S Many of Winchelsea’s houses
O
I T also still have their medieval
L S The 16th-century cellars, which can be visited
A
E Flushing Inn on special guided tours.
M A R K E T S T R E E T
Environs
This cistern was built Camber Sands, to the east of
in 1735. Horse-drawn the mouth of the Rother, is an
machinery was used to excellent beach and is backed
raise water to the by a row of dunes. Once used
highest part of by fishermen, it is now popular
the town. with swimmers and windsurfers.
The ruins of Camber Castle
C H U R C H S Q U A R E
are west of the beach, near Brede
Lock. It was one of the forts built
by Henry VIII when he feared an
attack by the French. The castle
was built on the edge of the sea,
but it became stranded inland
as the river silted up. During the
Civil War, in 1642, Parliament
supporters dismantled the
castle to prevent it from being
used by the Royalists.
Key
Suggested route . Ypres Tower T Camber Castle
Built as a castle around 1250, and later used as Camber. Tel 01797 227784. Open Jul–
0 metres 50 a private house and a prison, this is now Rye’s Sep: 2pm first Sat of the month for 8
0 yards 50 museum. It offers fine views of the town. only. œ ∑ english-heritage.org.uk
078-079_EW_ESC.indd 79 10/03/17 6:52 pm