A commemoration of the visit of Queen Elizabeth 1st in 1573 when she christened the town “Rye Royal” – procession with Reybellion Drummers; re-enactments; Elizabethan songs and a performance of Much Ado About Nothing by Rye Players – join us as we bring Heritage alive throughout the afternoon – all the better if you come in Elizabethan costume!
08/08/23 update:
Saturday 12th August 2023 from 3.15 pm (timings approx)
3.15pm Procession assembles beneath Conduit Hill and proceeds, accompanied by Ryebellion Drummers, into the High Street
3.40pm arriving at Strand Quay the Queen will be presented with a basket of “bloaters” and listen to a sea shanty
3.50pm the Queen and procession will arrive at The Mermaid Inn to be entertained in the gardens before taking her lunch within.
4.10pm returning down Mermaid St to the Watchbell Lookout via Trader’s Passage the Queen will be invited to admire the harbour and the Castle built by Henry VIII we may even see the ghost of her maid who still roams the passage seeking the Queen’s lost pearls
4.30pm at the Town Hall the Mayor will present the Queen with a bag of golden angels (coins).
4.45pm accompanied by St Mary’s Church Bells we will proceed to the Gun Gardens for the Queen to inspect the cannons. The Procession will then return to Conduit Hill and to the Monastery Gardens where Rye Players will round off the day with a performance of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado about Nothing” at 5.15pm
