This edition of the newsletter is dedicated to summer holiday fun. With just over a month to go until the break begins, there’s an awful lot of lovely stuff going on, whether you plan to come to Rye with the kids, or to act like a kid yourself. Dates are filling up very fast at The George in Rye over July and August, so do book soon if you’d like to stay – pictured to the right is Room 40, which has a particularly coastal feel, our take on a posh beach-hut.

Firstly, we were delighted to hear about the launch of the Rye Bay Beach Summer School, which offers imaginitive activities for children in the first two weeks of the  holidays, and which can be booked activity-by-activity, or for a week-long programme. What do we mean by imaginative? Well there’s mackerel fishing, an animated film-making day, rope-making, shrimping and even shelter-building. Utterly brilliant! We’re only a little peeved that the school isn’t open to adults, bringing as it does the opportunity to learn so many lost and rare skills. At least you can get the kids to make you a shelter when the tent collapses on next year’s camping trip, eh? There are only about 12 spaces for each activity so advance booking is highly recommended at the Rye Bay Beach School website.

With all the castles in the area, many of the activities have a decidedly medieval theme. Battle Abbey are running on the weekend of the 28/29 July a tournament, in which when resident ‘knights’, in full medieval battle garb and armour, will compete in challenges including hand-to-hand combat and archery. There is no place more atmospheric for this than Battle and it’s on the user-friendly side of reenactment – no need for audience participation or storming a field in peasant gear! Tickets will be £7.50 for adults and £4.50 for children, available on the day, with more information via English Heritage.

Over in Bodiam Castle, things take a turn towards the gruesome, when ‘Happening History’ hosts talks and demonstrations on medieval surgery and the punishments inflicted on criminals of the day. Through the summer there’ll also be many opportunities to try out archery, to great specificity: from longbows to mini-crossbows and painball cannons.

All those new weaponry skills may come in handy, as on Sunday 22nd July, World Pirate Day convenes in Hastings. If you come along dressed Jack Sparrow style, you become part of the biggest such gathering in the world. In 2010 8,700 people came together to form the shape of a huge skull and crossbones (pictured) and helped create a new Guiness World Record – that title needs definding! Once that’s sorted, there will be hog roasts, sea shanties, a choral performance of the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack, an appearance by the Red Arrows, and even a private wedding in the town hall, in which the couple, AND registrar will be dressed as…you guessed it. Get the event details here, and start brewing your grog now.

Finally – though we haven’t managed ourselves to get olympics tickets (we weren’t sure about the greco-roman wrestling!), we’re looking forward to the torch procession which is passing through Rye on Wednesday 18th July. We’re hosting a champagne breakfast at The George that morning before watching the spectacle, so do join us if you are visiting us then. More information is on our website.

So, with all that going on, we look forward to welcoming many of you to The George in Rye over the summer – whether for a jolly holiday, or a nice lunch of grilled lobster if you’re stopping by for the day.

With Best Wishes,
Alex and Katie Clarke