Venue Type & Location
Performance Spaces
Overview
A Norman church, much renovated over the centuries, St Mary's crowns the top of Rye's hill.
The nave has 5 wide bays formed by 13th c. arches with original dogtooth ornamentation.
Performance History
The Earl of Arundel's players are known to have performed in the chancel of the church in 1481--2 and 1485--6 and, less specifically, somewhere in the church in 1483--4.
Current Status
History of the Venue
1150--80 Nave, transepts, chancel and central tower built.
early 13th c. N and S aisles built.
ca. 1220 N chancel chapel of St Nicholas built.
ca. 1250 S chancel chapel of St Clare added.
14th c. N and S 2-storey porches built.
1377 Rye looted and set on fire by French invaders. Extensive damage done to the church.
late 14th c. W and N arches of the crossing rebuilt, as well as new windows in the aisles and flying buttress at the SE corner.
15th c. E and S crossing arches, E transept arch and chancel arcades rebuilt. New E window and rear arches of chapel windows. 2nd S porch added.
early 16th c. N and S transept windows renewed.
late 1540s Alterations made in response to Edward VI's protestant reforms. Rood taken down, stone altars removed and a wooden communion table placed in the chancel. Jesus Chapel, a wood and iron structure, dismantled (Vidler, New History 56).
later 16th c. Both chancel chapels bricked off for secular use.
late 17th c. Church decayed and in parts ruinous.
1703 Some repairs done after petitioning the king for financial help.
18th c. Continuing repairs and renovations. S or Poor Man's gallery added, extending from the E end of the nave to include 1 more arch at the W end.
ca. 1790 W door closed and low gallery added at the W end for the choir.
19th c. St Clare's Chapel used for storage of fire engines and lumber; St Nicholas Chapel used as a schoolroom for the poor.
1882--4 Major restoration including nave columns and windows. Galleries removed and clerestory rebuilt. W door closed.
Record Source
REED Sussex 53, 55, 57
Patrons who owned this venue
[No data found.]
Bibliographic Sources
- Allen, John, ed. Sussex Churches. Portsmouth: Sussex Historic Churches Trust, 1984
- Borrowman, John. 'A Short Account of Rye Church, Sussex.'. Sussex Archaeological Collections 50 (1907): 20--40.
- Brooks, Oscar E. The Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Rye, in the Diocese of Chichester. Rye: npub, 1954
- Butler, G. Slade. 'The Church of St. Mary, Rye.'. Sussex Archaeological Collections 22 (1870): 124--33.
- Coppin, Paul. Medieval Churches of East Sussex: A Touring Guide . S. B. Publications, 2001
- Denman, John. A Short Survey of the Structural Development of Sussex Churches on behalf of The Sussex Historic Churches Trust . Brighton: Sussex Historic Churches Trust, 1967
- Department of the Environment. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Borough of Rye, East Sussex. Rye: Department of the Environment, 1972
- Godfrey, W.E. 'Rye Church.'. Archaeological Journal 116 (1959): 253--4.
- 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
- Kirkham, Josephine. The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Rye. Andover: Pitkin Guides Ltd., 1996
- Lower, Mark Antony. A Compendious History of Sussex, Topographical, Archaeological & Anecdotal. 2 vols. Lewes; London: Geo. P. Bacon; John Russell Smith, 1870
- Nairn, Ian, and Nikolaus Pevsner. Sussex. Harmondsworth, Midd: Penguin Books, 1965
- Nibbs, R. H. The Churches of Sussex . London: John Russell Smith, 1872
- Vidler, Leopold Amen. A New History of Rye. Hove: Cambridges, 1934
- Vigar, John E. Exploring Sussex Churches. Gillingham: Meresborough Books, 1986
- Whiteman, Ken and Joyce. Ancient Churches of Sussex. Brighton: Roedale Books, 1994