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Submitted on Saturday, 3rd February 2024
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Detail Pages
The Old Bell, Rye
Rye
TN31 7EN
Served areas
Reviews of The Old Bell (Average Rating: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Ian Mapp left this review about The Old Bell
Case of hunt the staff. Unmanned bar. Single staff member clearing tables outside. Use the facilities and then she'd disappeared totally.
Harvey's in fine condition and a greek food menu looked interesting.
Everything else said in comments below.
On 16th June 2025
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1612 recommendations about 1589 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Old Bell
It advertises itself as the oldest pub in Rye and who am I to argue. What is without doubt is that it is another of Rye’s establishments that date back to the 15th century.
It’s quite a small space internally and was clearly two small rooms back in the day, but now knocked through into one bar room. Both the old public and saloon door entrances were open during the day but then only the saloon door, next to the small raised outside area with the few metal tables, was used in the evenings.
It’s all dark wood, with a low beamed ceiling, heavy wooden floor and substantial internal beams, one with an impressive collection of coins pushed into it.
It very much focusses on the tourist trade and functions more as a restaurant at lunchtime and early evening with all internal tables reserved for dining. Then late evening it seemed a popular hangout for students for some reason.
There are 2 ale pumps on the bar with the obligatory Harvey Sussex best and something badged as Old Bell Pale, which wasn’t actually too bad.
I found it all a bit dark and noisy inside of an evening (especially when the students started braying), and wouldn’t contemplate a return unless it was a fine weather evening and I could get one of the exterior metal tables to sit at
On 4th September 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2245 recommendations about 2105 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Blue left this review about Ye Olde Belle
This is apparently the oldest pub in Rye, one of several dating from the 15th century, and retains a lot of character. There are two doors at the front, labelled ‘Public Bar’ and ‘Private Bar’, and though some of the internal division between the two areas remains, these doors are blocked off and one enters via the door at the corner.
There are two hand pumps – one with Harvey’s and one unoccupied on our visit, plus a fairly standard keg selection. It was a fairly quiet Friday afternoon, but it felt welcoming, was serving food (presumably does all day) and the ‘dish of the day for a fiver’ offer yielded a very enjoyable ham, egg, chips and peas. Various events were advertised, including a open mic night the next day on behalf of Help for Heroes.
I liked this pub, and would go again, provided I hadn’t already got bored with Harvey’s Best, which is all too easy to do in the area. I’d like it a lot more if it had a choice of ales.
On 11th March 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 271 recommendations about 270 pubs]
View more reviews of The Old Bell (4)
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- Official site of The Old Bell - oldbellrye.com
- Facebook page of The Old Bell - www.facebook.com
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Old Bell - whatpub.com
- Historic Pub Interiors - pubheritage.camra.org.uk
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- Car Park : No last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- Darts : Yes last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- Dog Friendly : Yes - Outside food service times - last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- Karaoke : No last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- Live Music : No last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- Micropub : No last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- Pinball : No last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- Pool Table : No last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- Real Cider : No last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
- WiFi : Yes last updated 03 February 2024 by ROB Camra
