and about, so that every available inch of space may be
utilized for house or hanging garden. Crowning it all rises the
ancient church with its high red roofs and tower.

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[Illustration: RYE]

A conical hill rises abruptly out of the encompassing marshes, and all
around that little hill, wherever it can gain secure hold, clings the
town.

(_See page 50_)

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Probably the best approach is from Camber. We can tramp the three long
dusty miles of the military road from Winchelsea, catching just a
glimpse of the massive, low-lying structure of Camber Castle on the
other side of the stream; or else we can take the road to the right,
and, sweeping seawards, come round to the castle itself, pausing a
while to wander about these walls which have stood the rough usage of
the south-westerly gale so well since the time of the eighth Henry.
Leaving Camber, the way across to Rye is hazardous. So many waterways
intersect the shingly meadows that by the time we come out at the right
place an extraordinarily tortuous path has been followed.

The history of Rye is much akin to that of the sister town, a story of
one long succession of struggles against the two enemies, the sea and
the French. Although the place was a natural stronghold by reason of
its unique formation, yet, after a time, the necessity for artificial
works was felt, and in the twelfth century a small tower, afterwards
known as the Ypres, was constructed near the top of the southward
cliffs, a square structure of two stories with a circular turret at
each angle. A few years afterwards, in the reign of Richard the First,
licence was granted for the building of a town wall; and still later,
in the reign of Edward the Third, the fortifications were completed by
the building of a gateway with portcullis at the north-east end of the
town.

These fortifications were rendered necessary by the _inning_ of the
shallows which separated Rye from the mainland, the sea having set to
work, with the true ironic touch, depositing shingle where salt water
was essential, and irrupting where it was most unwelcome. And, sure
enough, as the one enemy did its worst, filling in the harbour and
making access to the little hill more easy, so the other enemy took
advantage of the facilities offered, and the raids of the French
gradually became