Ypres Tower
This is a defensive tower, most likely built as a component part of the Rye town defences between 1329 and the end of the 14th century. Peter of Savoy, then Constable of the Cinque Ports, was authorised to fortify Rye in 1249 but Historic England are uncertain whether this planned structure was ever built.
The tower was damaged during an air raid in 1942 and required repair in the 1950s. It was the subject of major repairs and restoration in 1996-7 with further alterations and repairs in 2005-7.
Ypres Tower (which gains its name from being granted to John de Ypres in 1431) is built of iron-stained sandstone coursed rubble masonry with evidence that this was once rendered or covered in a wash. Its ashlar dressings include ironstone and Caen stone. The internal walls were limewashed with some evidence of render at the ground floor.
The tower is oriented on a NW-SE alignment. The tower is square in plan, with projecting ¾ round towers at each of its four corners, and sits forward (to the SE) of the line of the former town wall. Access is through a townside (NW) ground floor doorway (seen above) which is protected by a portcullis. In the 19th century a further external doorway was created in the centre of the basement’s west wall.
The tower is of three storeys - a basement, ground floor and first floor - but the fall of the land from NW to SE is such that the tower’s ground floor is at the first floor level of the SE elevation. Access between the floors was via a spiral staircase in the NE tower but the basement is now reached by an inserted staircase of 1959. It has served as a fort, private dwelling, prison, court hall and now finally as a museum. It is a Grade I listed structure.
Seen from the west. Beyond, a section of the River Rother is visible. It reaches the sea some 3.5 km from the tower.
Ypres Tower
This is a defensive tower, most likely built as a component part of the Rye town defences between 1329 and the end of the 14th century. Peter of Savoy, then Constable of the Cinque Ports, was authorised to fortify Rye in 1249 but Historic England are uncertain whether this planned structure was ever built.
The tower was damaged during an air raid in 1942 and required repair in the 1950s. It was the subject of major repairs and restoration in 1996-7 with further alterations and repairs in 2005-7.
Ypres Tower (which gains its name from being granted to John de Ypres in 1431) is built of iron-stained sandstone coursed rubble masonry with evidence that this was once rendered or covered in a wash. Its ashlar dressings include ironstone and Caen stone. The internal walls were limewashed with some evidence of render at the ground floor.
The tower is oriented on a NW-SE alignment. The tower is square in plan, with projecting ¾ round towers at each of its four corners, and sits forward (to the SE) of the line of the former town wall. Access is through a townside (NW) ground floor doorway (seen above) which is protected by a portcullis. In the 19th century a further external doorway was created in the centre of the basement’s west wall.
The tower is of three storeys - a basement, ground floor and first floor - but the fall of the land from NW to SE is such that the tower’s ground floor is at the first floor level of the SE elevation. Access between the floors was via a spiral staircase in the NE tower but the basement is now reached by an inserted staircase of 1959. It has served as a fort, private dwelling, prison, court hall and now finally as a museum. It is a Grade I listed structure.
Seen from the west. Beyond, a section of the River Rother is visible. It reaches the sea some 3.5 km from the tower.