A spectacular day on Saturday, August 12 as Rye celebrated the 450th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth I declaring Rye Royal. Hundreds of people filled the streets to follow a regal procession around town, recreating the events of 1573 with songs, stories, and sea shanties. You can hear the full story of the day on the latest edition of our Ryecast podcast, and in this video made by KT Bruce.
The procession was led by Rye’s town crier Paul Goring. It was his idea to mark the anniversary, although he admits facts about the visit are scarce "There are lot of legends, so we've combined them with what we know for certain." For organiser Simon Parsons from Rye Heritage Centre it was a day to bring the centre out into the community "It's all about understanding Rye's history, being part of it...and having a bit of fun."
Actors from the Rye Players led the procession with Clare Hammond playing Queen Elizabeth I in full regal costume, her first time playing a royal. "It's been absolutely extraordinary being the centre of attention. A remarkable day." Accompanied by ladies in waiting, and a history defying cameo from King Henry, the queen negotiated the cobbles waving to cheers and stopping at locations around Rye.
Starting at the the bottom of Conduit Hill, the procession made its way along the High Street and Mint to Strand Quay. In front of Rye Heritage Centre fisherman Dan Chapman presented the queen with some Rye bloaters. They may not have an appetising name, but Dan says they’re great to eat “They're not too fishy, just enough to tell they're from the sea, but they're one of the best fish you can catch round here."
After a sea shanty from the Rye Harbour Herrings, the parade moved to The Mermaid, along Traders Passage and then on to the look out on Watchbell Street. It was here the actors recreated the story of Queen Elizabeth I losing her pearls, with Paul Goring recounting the story of the ghost of a maid still searching for the lost jewels to this day.
At each stop the Sing It Out choir performed a chorus explaining where the procession was heading to next. "Follow. Follow. Follow" they sang, with many of the crowd joining in. After walking through the church yard, the town hall was next and then the Gun Garden and a chance for Queen Elizabeth to inspect the newly painted cannons. The parade finished at the monastery on Conduit Hill where Rye Players performed their version of Shakespeare’s “Much ado about nothing”.
A brilliant event, full of character and fun. A day many people will remember for a long time. The audience of locals and visitors thoroughly enjoyed it, as did the actors and singers. A day when Rye came together to mark the town’s fascinating history, and did it with style. Catching up with Simon Parsons as the event came to a close, he was thrilled by how the day came together ”It’s been an amazing day, I’m so pleased with the turn out and how everyone got involved." So what’s he planning for Rye Heritage Centre next? “I’ll have to get back to you…”
For more about the procession, download Ryecast "A royal day in Rye". You can hear the podcast by searching for Ryecast, or by visiting www.ryecast.org.
