Proud Rye, sat on a hill and Queen of all she surveys. An island kingdom, once surrounded by sea but the winds and the storms won a great battle and the sea retreated leaving the town marooned inland. Rye, with its medieval airs and cobbled streets, its history as a Cinque Port, the smugglers and its people, has been written about and photographed to distraction, after all, it is one of the most picturesque towns in England For centuries, Sussex’s poor roads had isolated Rye enabling it to remain unscathed from the developer’s whims that had changed many other south coast towns. By the time that the Turnpike roads arrived in the late 18th century and the railway in 1851, Rye’s charms within its citadel were secure and soon came to the attention of writers and artists seeking inspiration. There are museums, remnants of fortifications, galleries, old houses, pubs and coffee shops, literary connections and tales of smuggled brandy, tea and tobacco. This walk and talk will bring some sense to the orderly and disorderly streets, twitchels, passages and history but, be careful, for when not sailing the Spanish Main, that dastardly pirate Captain Pugwash may be watching you, home for a holiday to visit his creator, John Ryan.