By Lyn Funnell
On a day coach trip to Rye with Lynn’s coaches, we walked up the hill to St Mary the Virgin church which dominates Rye’s skyline.
Luckily it was a nice day. Last year it was pouring all day.
The church is open to the public and you can wander around wherever you like.
If you turn right towards the souvenir stall, look up and you’ll see the church clock’s pendulum swinging to and fro above your head.
And the history is well documented. See my last article.
A Day in Rye, Sussex – Unknown Kent & Sussex Magazine
I was looking for something different to write about. However well-known these old places are, I know that there is always something else hidden away that the public don’t know about.
The Rector, the Revd Paul White, was stood by the doorway, wearing his magnificent robes. He’s obviously very popular with the women! I had to wait to speak to him.
I asked him if he could tell me a secret about the church. He said that he couldn’t think of any.
Then he suddenly raised a hand as he remembered something and he got me to follow him.
I’m not going to tell you exactly where we went. But it was in a side chancel.
The Revd Paul lifted a stand out of the way that was on top of a small rug. Then he bent down and pulled the rug aside.
And there was just what I was looking for. Embedded in the floor were a knight and his lady.
Nobody knows who they were or exactly how old they are. They’re probably 13th or 14th century.
Then he led me to another chancel. It was through a small gate.
He told me that the tiles were Victorian and they were covered up until recently. Then we went along the side and there was another small rug with a knight underneath.
Only the lower part could be seen because the pulpit had been built on top of it.
I was really pleased to be shown these unseen relics of the past. They fascinate me.
