Situated near the top of a cobbled side street, this famous smugglers' inn is steeped in history…
Mermaid Inn
“A unique space full of medieval character.” - AA Inspector
RYE, EAST SUSSEX
Dating back to 1420, this historic Sussex inn was once a well-known haunt of smugglers, including the notorious 18th-century Hawkhurst Gang. These days, the clientele is now locals and visitors enjoying British and French-style dishes beneath the black-and-white timbers of the atmospheric dining room with its fireplaces and oil paintings.
Awards, accolades & Welcome Schemes
Facilities – at a glance
Children welcome
Credit cards accepted
Gluten free menu
Private dining
Service charge
Features
- Seats: 64
- Private dining available
- Wheelchair accessible
- Steps for wheelchair: 3
- Assist dogs welcome
- Open all year
- Wines under £30: 27
- Wines over £30: 26
- Wines by the glass: 14
- Cuisine style: British, Traditional French
- Vegetarian menu
Also in the area
About the area
Discover East Sussex
East Sussex, along with its western counterpart, is packed with interest. This is a land of stately homes and castles, miles of breezy chalk cliffs overlooking the English Channel, pretty rivers, picturesque villages and links to our glorious past. Mention Sussex to many people and images of the South Downs immediately spring to mind – ‘vast, smooth, shaven, serene,’ as the writer Virginia Woolf described them. She and her husband lived at Monk’s House in the village of Rodmell, near Lewes, and today, her modest home is managed by the National Trust and open to the public.
There are a great many historic landmarks within Sussex, but probably the most famous is the battlefield where William, Duke of Normandy defeated Harold and his Saxon army to become William the Conqueror of England. By visiting Battle, near Hastings, you can, with a little imagination, picture the bloody events that led to his defeat. East Sussex’s pretty towns such as Lewes, Rye and Uckfield have their charms, while the city of Brighton offers museums and fascinating landmarks, the best-known and grandest feature being the Royal Pavilion.
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