Siege of Rye

Events

Travel Information

Siege of Rye 2006 29th and 30th July.

The Order of Rye Longbowmen welcome you to the 2006 Medieval Fair and Great Archery Tournament where we will be giving you a taste of life in Rye in the Middle Ages.

You will see how people lived, worked, fought and enjoyed themselves with only medieval technology to help them. An essential part of life was their ability to use the longbow and all men and boys had to practice regularly at Rye's town butts.

In 1295 King Edward I amassed 25,000 archers outside the town as part of his plan for a national army. Throughout the Hundred Years War the English archers proved how devastating this weapon could be, significantly at Crécy, in 1346 and at Agincourt sixty nine years later. In 1377, French ships attacked Rye.

Today, the Order of Rye Longbowmen are proud to carry on the traditions of our forefathers and invite you too to try your hand at archery.