Rye is a town and civil parish in the Rother area, in East Sussex, England, two miles from the sea at the assemblage of 3 rivers: the Rother, the Tillingham and the Brede. In middle ages times, as an important participant of the Cinque Ports confederation, it was at the head of an embayment of the English Channel, and almost completely surrounded by the sea. At the 2011 census, Rye had a population of 4,773. Its historic association with the sea has consisted of offering ships for the service of the Crown in time of war, and also being involved in contraband. The notorious Hawkhurst Gang used its old inns The Mermaid Inn and also The Olde Bell Inn, which are said to be linked per other by a secret passageway. Those historical roots and its beauty make it a vacationer destination, with resorts, guest houses, B&B s, tea rooms, as well as dining establishments. It has a tiny angling fleet, as well as Rye Harbour has facilities for private yachts as well as other vessels.