Mermaid Inn, Rye

The Mermaid Inn is one of Rye's most visually striking buildings, with its steeply pitched roof and crooked half-timbered frame dominating the corner of Mermaid Street. Built in 1420, it has served as a coaching inn for over 600 years and remains one of the oldest continuously operating inns in England.

You can visit the inn to dine in its restaurant or enjoy a drink in the bar, both housed in period rooms with exposed beams and open fireplaces. The interiors retain much of their medieval character, though the building has been substantially rebuilt and modified over the centuries. The inn is a working business rather than a museum, so access is primarily for guests dining or taking refreshment.

The building's distinctive appearance, with its pronounced lean and irregular timber-frame construction, makes it one of Rye's most photographed landmarks. It features in numerous literary references and historical accounts of the town, reflecting its long importance as a coaching stop on routes between London and the Cinque Ports. The surrounding Mermaid Street is lined with other period buildings and is one of the town's most picturesque areas.