Book a Benson
Walk to
find out more about Mapp & Lucia. See
Benson to find out more about about the books based in Rye.
Vita Sackville West
Visit
Sissinghurst Castle, just a few miles from Rye, was the home of Vita
Sackville West. Visit the house and the wonderful gardens
created by Vita Sackville West and Harold Nicholson.
Malcolm Saville
Lived 1901–82, author of nearly 80 children's
books, largely thrillers and adventure stories. Saville was the
creator of the Lone Pine London
series of books, a number of which were set in Rye
Conrad Aiken.
1889-1973. The American poet, novelist and critic Conrad Aiken, Pulitzer Prize
winner, bought Jeake's House in 1924 and the Men's Club in 1928. He was
visited here by T.S. Eliot, E.F.Benson, the artists
Paul Nash and
Malcolm Lowry, and Radclyffe Hall.
Jeakes House in Rye is now a popular Bed & Breakfast guest house in
Mermaid Street
More
Writers in Rye | Literary Events
Rye has attracted many famous writers in the past and continues to do
so. American writer Henry James
loved Rye and lived in Lamb House (now owned by the National Trust) for
the last 18 years of his life. E F Benson,
Mayor of Rye, lived in Lamb House after Henry James's death and went on
to write the famous Mapp and Lucia books, where he based the town
Tillingham on Rye.
Henry James 1843-1916
Visit
Lamb House
Visit
Lamb House - home to writer
Henry James from 1898-1916 & E F Benson (Mapp & Lucia)
The Lamb family were the greatest power in Rye 150 years but the
house they built is more famous as the home of the expatriate American
novelist Henry James.
See Henry James
for details of opening times of Lamb House and more on the
writing and friends of Henry James.
Henry James let Lamb House to tenants for six months in 1904 when he
returned to America.
See letters
Open Thurs & Sat
2.00-6.00.
19th March
to 9th October. Check
National Trust website for opening times.
E. F. Benson & Rye Walks - Explore Mapp & Lucia's Rye
Local Rye resident,
John Ryan, creator of Pugwash books
John Ryan was the creator of the famous 'Captain Pugwash' series lived
in Rye. John's first Captain Pugwash title was published in 1957.
See John Ryan to read about the famous Pugwash
books.
Visit Bateman's - Home of Rudyard Kipling
Visit
Batemans, the wonderful Jacobean home of Rudyard Kipling owned by
the National Trust. See original illustrations of the Jungle Book, walk in the delightful
gardens by the River Dudwell and see Kipling's 1928 Phantom 1
Rolls-Royce. Find out
More on Kipling
H G Wells
H G Wells lived in Space House, Sandgate
from 1901 to 1909. Wells wrote several of his best known works
here, including Kipps, Tono-Bungay and Ann Veronica, and entertained many
leading writers of the time, including Bernard Shaw, Henry James, Arnold
Bennett and Joseph Conrad who were also regular visitors at
Lamb House
in Rye.
Russell Thorndyke
Brother of Dame Sybil Thorndike, famous for
Doctor Syn - A Tale Of The Romney Marsh;
(1915 version set in 1795–1805 with pirates and smuggling).
Russell Thorndyke, Dame Sybil and Noel Coward all had homes
around Romney Marsh.
Rumer Godden
Rumer Godden, who died in 1998 at aged 90, was a novelist of
many gifts: she could see the world through the eyes of children
with a vivid and sometimes uncomfortable realism; she excelled
at portraying the sensuous atmosphere and contradictions of
India in the last days of the Raj; Born in Eastbourne, they
lived for a while in Lamb House
in Rye, once home to Henry James
Visit Charleston
Visit Charleston, just a few miles from Rye, was the home
and country meeting place of Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grants and
other members of the Bloomsbury Group.
See Bloomsbury
Set for more
Second hand books online - have your books valued
Tony Mulholland of
Woolhouse
Books would like to hear from you if you have second hand books for
sale or valuation. See collection of books for sale online.
series of books, a number of which were set in Rye
by
Conrad Aiken. 
and 
.
(1915 version set in 1795–1805 with pirates and smuggling).
Russell Thorndyke, Dame Sybil and Noel Coward all had homes
around Romney Marsh.
the only one of her eight novels to have overt lesbian themes. Lived
in Rye in the 1930's.
