Yesterday, my brother and I walked from Hastings to Rye and back, this photograph was taken early-ish in the day (we left at 07.40), some mist about still, and this photograph was taken from east of Fairlight Cove. It was a gorgeous day, as we'll all remember for different reasons, no doubt, and the mist and clouds soon dissolved...
We'd walked across Hastings Country Park Local Nature Reserve (website) and down to Pett Level, then we walked along the Royal Military Canal (website) to Rye. We reached Rye for lunchtime, having heard our first cuckoos of the year, also a bittern and many other waterfowl were heard and seen, numerous butterflies were seen too, plus blossom and a swans nest (the cob appeared very wary of us!)
Not far from Rye is the Tudor Camber Castle (website), so we deviated slightly to walk by and take a few photographs. The castle was built by Henry VIII, though not literally! Once in Rye, we had a wee tour round and walked up to the wonderful Norman church of St Mary the Virgin (website), which has a grade II listed brick cistern in its grounds.
St Mary's Church, Rye
OK, we also wanted to visit the first micropub to open in East Sussex (I think!). So, what is a micropub? It appears to be accepted that a micropub essentially serves ales from casks, ciders, no lagers, usually wine, maybe a few spirits, and traditional bar snacks, but with no television, electronic games or fruit machines, and they're often situated in ex-shops! So, down the hill to my first micropub too...
The Rye Waterworks micropub
We walked down to The Rye Waterworks, Tower Street (corner with Rope Walk), Rye, East Sussex TN31 7AT (01797 224110), which was originally a water pumping house (1869), and has since been a soup kitchen, public lavatories, and a shop selling antiques and curios more recently (still is, sort of, but more later). However, with a history going back at least 300 years! See further down for the 'potted history' I have written, following talking to David (the licensee), and from researching a 19th century book by William Holloway and a recent online engineering journal.
David when he first held the keys!
The above photograph is borrowed from the Rye Waterworks facebook page, many thanks, and there are some great photographs showing the progression of the considerable work done on the fabric of the micropub since, so well worth a look! David is the licensee, and a warmer and more friendly publican you could never expect to meet, indeed his enthusiasm for this project, a micropub he opened just over a couple of weeks ago, seems unlimited. David told me that the interior still has a small amount of work to finish it off, "93% complete" he estimates, but it is already comfortable. Indeed, on this blue sky day, it was lovely and cool inside, but in the evening he lit the wood burner to ensure his customers remained comfortable.
Regarding the 'curios' I mentioned earlier? Well, David is still selling furniture and curios on behalf of the last incumbent at this address, indeed, most of what isn't nailed down you can buy, including all the tables and chairs, stools and other furniture, framed prints and curios! For example, just out of shot of my photograph to the right, there is a crackin' brass pub bell and a rather fancy ice bucket for sale... so, the Waterworks isn't just a unique micropub for being in an old pump house rather than an old shop, it will also look different every time you visit, as the furniture and decorations change each time some are purchased! Of course, all this is evidence of the great character of the place, but I also have to talk about the ales...
There are 8 ales available (all from microbreweries within 20 miles of Rye), and served by gravity from this rather large fridge behind the bar. The 8 include 2 'regular' ales, one brewed by Old Dairy Brewery, a 4% session ale called Carrot Top (£3.60 a pint), much beloved by Sussex Best drinkers it appears, and the one we drank, from Three Legs Brewing Company, their excellent 3.7% session pale golden and hoppy session bitter Pale (£3.70 a pint). My notes: "Golden with a strong fruity aroma, a gorgeous fruity bitter." Can't say better than that! We also drank the 'guest' Black Pale (4.3% and £3.70 a pint) from Three Legs, a deep very dark red colour, roasted barley in the aroma and taste, quite bitter and "sharp on the palate" said my brother, couldn't disagree, very nice too, but I did prefer the golden Pale, as is my taste!
There were 5 other guest ales, FILO Cardinal (a 4.6% Porter, £3.80), Rother Valley Copper Ale (4.1% and £3.70), Hop Fuzz English (3.8% and £3.70), Range Ales Double Tap (4.1% and £3.70), and I also had a half of the 4.4% Romney Marsh Brewery Amber Ale (£3.70 a pint), a sweetish complex fruity and nutty bitter which is sweet to taste, but dries out at the finish... There were also 3 ciders, Norman Hunt & Sons Conquest (4.8% and £3.70 a pint) and Big Kev's Summer of Fruit (6% and £3.8) and Dickens (8% and £4). Also, gins, wines and soft drinks are available!
Recently, David received his Food Hygiene Certificate, so expect to see rolls with various fillings on sale, sausage rolls, pork pies and scotch eggs, and the usual crisps and nuts, not to mention homemade spicy pickled eggs.
Oh yes, so you don't attempt to visit when it is closed the opening times at present are:
Mon-Thursdays 2-10pm
Fridays 2-11pm
Saturdays 12-11pm
Sundays 12-10pm
Brick Cistern by St Mary's Church
"Potted History" (as promised!):
A 'water-house' was known to have been built on this site by 1628, but the present building includes what appears to be a foundation stone from when it was rebuilt in 1718, with a pump driven by a 'horse gin' piping water from the Ashdown Sands Springs; a horse gin was a wheel which had a horse harnessed to it, the horse walked around in circles and powered the pump.
A lead water pump was added in 1826 to pump water up Conduit Hill to the oval brick cistern (now grade II listed) that is by St Mary's Church. Then, in 1869, the Victorians rebuilt the water-house again and installed a steam engine and pump. As I said earlier, it has since been a soup kitchen (1907), public lavatories, and a shop selling antiques and curios, now it is a micropub, cheers!
My sources:
Roder, David Licensee, The Rye Waterworks.
Holloway, William The history and antiquities of the ancient town and port of Rye, in the county of Sussex. With incidental notices of the Cinque Ports, published by J R Smith (London) 1847.
Rye Ancient Water Supply on www.engineering-timelines.com 2018.
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