History of Rye

From 1838-1889 Rye had their own Borough Police force. The Borough Police force was a small force, often with just two officers. Rye police frequently had difficulties on Bonfire night (5 November) and special constables were recruited to help deal with the problems bonfire gangs caused. After amalgamation with the County Force in 1889 a new police station was provided in Church Square. In 1892 the strength of the town police, now amalgamated, was one sergeant and three constables.

In May 1940, during the darkest days of World War II, the Rye fishing fleet was invited to participate in Operation Dynamo, the seaborne rescue of the stranded British Expeditionary Force at Dunkirk, but refused to do so.

Paul Monod's book The Murder of Mr Grebell: Madness and Civility in an English Town (2003) begins with the murder of a justice of the peace in Rye in 1743, considering its background as far back as the Reformation, then looks at events in the town over the next two hundred years.

Walking Tour of Rye, the most beautiful town in England, by Jonathan Copeland, ISBN 9781301139996, describes every important building, explains it and puts it into historical context. Many photographs illustrate the book