RYE 



524 



RYE 



poorer classes. The greater part of the parishes are 

 exonerated from tithes, either by modus or being free. 

 See the Beauties of England and Wales. 



RUYTER, MICHAEL ADRIAN DE, a celebrated 

 Dutch admiral, was born in l6'07, and died in l6?6'. 

 See BRITAIN, Vol. IV. p. 600; and NETHERLANDS, 

 Vol. XV. p. 337. 



RYAN LOCH. See WIGTONSHIRE. 



RYE. See AGRICULTURE, Vol. I. p. 298; and 

 FRANCE, Vol. IX. p. 700. 



RYE GRASS. See AGRICULTURE, Vol. I. p. 320, 

 323. 



RYE, a market and borough town of England, in 

 the county of Sussex, and one of the cinque port towns. 

 It is situated on an eminence in the British Channel, 

 at the mouth of the river Rother, and consists princi- 

 pally of an irregular street, the houses of which are of 

 brick, and are in general well built, though old fa- 

 shioned. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is of 

 stone, and is one of the largest parochial churches in 

 the kingdom. There are also here meeting-houses for 

 Methodists, Quakers, and other dissenters. The town- 

 hall stands in the centre of the principal street, and 

 has the market-house in the lower story. The trade 

 of this place consists in hops, wool, timber, fish, can- 

 non, and various articles in cast iron from the iron 

 works of Bakeley and Breed. The mackerel and her- 

 rings caught here are reckoned the best of the kind. 

 Many attempts have been made to improve the har- 

 bour, which lies to the south-east of the town, but it 

 is still accessible only for small vessels, although hopes 

 are entertained of deepening it. Some sloops belong- 

 ing to this port, are constantly occupied in carrying 

 chalk from the cliffs of East Bourne, for being burn- 

 ed into lime. There is here a free grammar school 

 and a charity school. The corporation of Rye con- 



sists of a mayor, bailiff, jurats, and freemen. This 

 burgh sends two members to parliament, who are 

 elected by about 100 voters. Houses 476. Popula- 

 tion 2681. 



RYEGATE, REYGATE, or REIGATE, a burgh and 

 market-town of England, in the county of Surrey, is 

 agreeably situated in the fertile valley of Holmsdale, 

 at the foot of a ridge of chalk beds. The town con- 

 sists of two streets, which are in general well built, 

 and contain many handsome houses and good inns. 

 The High Street runs nearly east and west, and Bell 

 Street north and south. The church, which is at the 

 west end of the town, is built of square masses of chalk. 

 It has two aisles, and an embattled tower of hewn 

 stone, containing eight bells, and contains several hand- 

 some and expensive monuments. The market, built 

 in 1708, is a small brick building, with piazzas below 

 it. The block-house contiguous to it, was intended 

 as a prison for felons. 



The castle of Ryegate stood on the west side of the 

 town, and some parts of its outer wall existed about 

 thirty or forty years ago. There is still to be seen, 

 however, a passage 235 feet long, which leads into a 

 vaulted room 123 feet long, thirteen wide, and eleven 

 high, excavated out of the solid rock. It was proba- 

 bly used by the insurgent barons as a store-house and 

 a prison. About sixty years ago, about twenty mills 

 were employed in grinding oatmeal, but only one small 

 one is now in use. The inhabitants derive consider- 

 able emolument from the visitors of Brighton, and other 

 bathing quarters. The burgh sends two members to 

 parliament. Population 2410. 



RYOTS. See INDIA, Vol. XII. p. 88, col. 2. 



RYSWICK, PEACE OF. See BRITAIN, Vol. IV. p. 

 615 ; and FRANCE, Vol. IX. p. 608. 



RYEHOUSE PLOT. See BRITAIN, Vol. IV. p. 606. 



Ryehouse 

 Plot. 



