Venue Type & Location
Town Hall
Site Name: Court Hall
Location: Rye
County: Sussex
Location Type: Town - in town at determined location
Overview
The late medieval and Tudor court and market house stood in the Butchery on the same site as the present 18th c. town hall (S side of the present Market Street). St Mary's Church is adjacent to the S, a few steps up the hill.
The 16th c. Court Hall was on the upper storey above shops on the ground level.
Performance History
As the seat of civic government and centre for festive occasions, Rye's Court Hall was probably the venue for many performances by touring entertainers before the mayor and city officials before 1642.
Current Status
Long demolished.
History of the Venue
mid-14th c. First town hall built in the Butchery.
1514--15 Rebuilt on the same site.
1742 Demolished. New brick town hall built on the same site.
Record Source
REED Sussex 44--151
Patrons who owned this venue
[No data found.]
Bibliographic Sources
- Holloway, William. The History and Antiquities of the Ancient Town and Port of Rye, in the County of Sussex. London: John Russell Smith, 1847
- Horsfield, Thomas Walker. The History, Antiquities, and Topography of the County of Sussex. 2 vols. Lewes: Nichols & Son, 1835
- Nairn, Ian, and Nikolaus Pevsner. Sussex. Harmondsworth, Midd: Penguin Books, 1965
- Vidler, Leopold Amen. A New History of Rye. Hove: Cambridges, 1934
- Worsfield, A.F. de P. 'The Court Hall, Rye.'. Sussex Archaeological Collections 66 (1925): 208--18.