Rye is a village as well as civil parish in the Rother area, in East Sussex, England, 2 miles from the sea at the confluence of 3 rivers: the Rother, the Tillingham as well as the Brede. In middle ages times, as a crucial member of the Cinque Ports confederation, it was at the head of an embayment of the English Channel, and nearly totally bordered by the sea. At the 2011 census, Rye had a population of 4,773. Its historic association with the sea has consisted of giving ships for the service of the Crown in time of war, and also being associated with smuggling. The well-known Hawkhurst Gang used its old inns The Mermaid Inn and The Olde Bell Inn, which are claimed to be linked to each other by a secret passage. Those historical origins and its charm make it a traveler location, with resorts, guest houses, B&B s, cafeteria, and dining establishments. It has a little angling fleet, and also Rye Harbour has centers for luxury yachts and various other vessels.