a market-town, municipal and parliamentary borough of England, one of the cinque ports, in the county of Sussex, on the right bank of the Rother, at its mouth, 38 miles E.N.E. of Lewes, and 65 S.E. of London. It is built on the northern and eastern slopes of a hill, and has some regular streets lined with old, substantial, and not very uniform houses. The houses are for the most part built of brick, as also is the town-hall, a neat edifice, raised on arches, beneath which is a market-place. The parish church is a large building in the form of a cross, with a central tower. It is partly in the Norman and partly in the early English style. There are also places of worship belonging to Methodists, Independents, and Baptists. The educational establishments comprise two endowed schools, a free grammar school, and national schools. The town has also alms-houses and other charitable institutions. Rye Rymer has always depended very much for its prosperity on the harbour. This was at one time very good; but the gradual deposition of sand in the mouth of the Rother, where the harbour is, went on to such an extent that in the sixteenth century it was nearly choked up. In 1750 an attempt was made to form by a canal a new mouth to the river; but this proved unsuccessful, and was abandoned in 1778. The old harbour was then improved by a wooden pier at one side and embankments at the other, which narrowed and deepened the channel; but even with this improvement it can only admit of vessels of 200 tons burden. The entrance, too, is difficult, and the harbour is dry at low water. The number of sailing-vessels registered at the port, 31st December 1857, was 120, tonnage 7218; of steamers 1, tonnage 21. In the year ending on that day the number of sailing-vessels that entered was 484, tonnage 40,349; those that cleared 133, tonnage 9024. The principal articles of export are wool, oak timber, bark, and hops. Coal, corn, and Dutch produce are imported. The fisheries are somewhat productive. In the town are shipbuilding yards, and in the vicinity lime-kilns. The borough is governed by a mayor, three other aldermen, and twelve councillors. It returns a member to the House of Commons. Rye is a very ancient place, and is supposed to be the Novus Portus of the Romans. In the reign of Stephen a castle, which still remains, and is now used as a jail, was erected here; and by order of Edward III. the town was walled on all sides, except where steep cliffs defended it towards the sea. One of the gates of this period still remains. Pop. of the borough (1851) 8541.