A history of Rye through museum objects

This is the next in a series of articles in which people involved with the Rye Castle Museum choose an object from the collection which represents an aspect of the history of the town, and its environs, and tell us what it means to them.

The medieval sanctuary knocker chosen by museum director, Yvonne Metcalf

Now on display in the Rye Castle Museum in the castle / Ypres Tower, the sanctuary door knocker in the shape of a lion’s head with the ring in its mouth, was originally on the north door of St Mary’s Church. A replica of the original is also displayed in St Mary’s Church.

Yvonne Metcalf writes:

“I think I first heard the word sanctuary when young, watching that classic 1939 film The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Charles Laughton swings across on a rope clutching Esmeralda, having rescued her from execution, and cries “Sanctuary!”. This was a dramatic entrance but based on a real custom. The sanctuary knocker from St Mary’s Church is now in the safe keeping of Rye Castle Museum and is displayed in the castle / Ypres Tower. It is such an important symbol of the right to sanctuary that existed for hundreds of years. Sanctuary still seems so important in today’s uncertain world: from the Huguenots who settled in Rye, from the 16th century to our present-day visitors from Ukraine, our town has welcomed those fleeing persecution for many centuries.”

In the early medieval period, anyone who had committed, or been accused of, a crime such as murder or theft, or were fleeing creditors or political enemies, could seek sanctuary in a church, chapel or churchyard by knocking on (or even just touching) the door knocker of a church. Once inside, the sanctuary seeker could remain for up to 40 days giving time for them to prove their innocence or to allow their family and friends to negotiate settlements, often financial, with the victim’s family. As many crimes were punishable by death, the understanding was that the church was a safe haven, and no-one could be forcibly removed from the church. To give an idea of the scale of sanctuary, in 1538, on the dissolution of the monasteries, Beaulieu Abbey had 32 sanctuary men there.

Later, serious crimes were tried by royal justices rather than the local communities so by the end of 40 days the accused criminal either had to surrender to the justices and confess their crimes in detail or to abjure the realm, that is to go into exile forever. On top of that, the abjurer lost all their goods and land and any return from exile risked execution. At trial, the criminal was allocated a port from which to leave and were expected to travel to it without delay or risk death.

On October 24, 1500 according to town records, John Purchase, aged 30, sought sanctuary in St Mary’s churchyard and on October 26 confessed to the coroner that he had killed a man in Ottery St Mary, Devon while trying to stop him from stealing some linens. He fled with his two horses to Lewes, Sussex where he stole another horse. John Purchase ended up in Newenden and left the three horses with a John Sneth, who became suspicious, causing Purchase to flee to Canterbury and then to Rye where he sought sanctuary. Purchase abjured and was sent to Dover to go into exile.

Another case in Rye was in 1527. Trenquart, a French priest, was arrested in London for coin-clipping but escaped and sought sanctuary in St Mary’s. Coin-clipping was a practice of cutting small pieces from coins which were made of gold and silver. The clippings were melted into a bar and sold or used to make counterfeit coins. It was a serious offence as it undermined the currency of the country and was considered treason, punishable by death. Trenquart abjured and intended to confess but the lord warden of the Cinque Ports did not accept that he could have sanctuary and he was most likely executed.

Rye was often used as the assigned port for a felon ‘to abjure the realm’. And, according to the law and custom of England, a cross was placed (branded) on his right hand. We have records that, for example, Richard Scrivener left Rye in 1515; John Malpas in 1520 and Thomas Bauxere in 1529.

The right of sanctuary was abolished by an act of Parliament in 1624 by James I and the use of sanctuary fell after that, although it continued in some cases through the later centuries and even to today.

Rye Castle Museum has two sites, one in a former bottling factory in East Street and the other at the castle / Ypres Tower.

Castle / Ypres Tower is open daily throughout the year. March 30 to October 31 from 10:30am to 5pm. November 1 to March 29 from 10:30am to 3:30pm.

East Street is open at weekends from April to October from 10:30am to 4:30pm (subject to availability of volunteers).

Image Credits: Rye Castle Museum .