New owners at Jeake’s House

One of Rye’s most historic properties, Jeake’s House B&B in Mermaid Street, has been purchased by Chris and Doris Jennings.

The new owners from Welling in south east London, who own property elsewhere in Rye, know the town well and say they intend to keep the features that have made Jeake’s such a success over the years.

At present, what Chris describes as “a unique B&B” boasts 11 bedrooms accommodating up to 26 guests. Added to this, three double rooms are available in adjacent Traders Passage at Oak House, which the Jennings already own.

The couple moved into Jeake’s on February 21, following in the footsteps of Jenny Hadfield who had owned the property for almost 40 years and who had carried out extensive renovation work on the house first built in 1689 as a wool store by merchant Samuel Jeake.

“We’re retaining Jenny’s legacy of the last 40 years: if it ain’t broken, it doesn’t need to be fixed,” Chris says, while pointing out that potential still exists for new ideas — such as afternoon teas, small gatherings, parties and occasional Sunday lunches. A plan also exists to convert a lower space into another guest room.

While hard flooring is being installed in the bar area and some new carpeting fitted elsewhere, it’s the enduring history-laden ambience of Jeake’s House and the friendly welcome that make it so popular. Indeed, a significant number of guests represent repeat custom and visitors include British people and other nationalities such as Americans, Germans and Dutch.

The unique decor of Jeake’s House features historic paintings, prints and vintage furniture that add to the B&B’s character.

Chris’s background is as the owner of a property maintenance firm and Doris has extensive experience in catering. All of the existing well-trained staff of ten people are being kept on by the new owners. Fans of Jeake’s will be pleased to hear that the B&B’s famous choice of breakfasts, including devilled kidneys on toast, will continue. Breakfast is also available to non-guests for £17.

The storied B&B in fact consists of three merged properties — Jeake’s House, Quakers’ House and Elder’s House. Over the centuries these have variously served as a wool store, a Quaker meeting-house, a Baptist chapel, a school and the Baptist minister’s residence. Famous visitors over the years include TS Eliot, EF Benson, Malcolm Lowry, Radclyffe Hall and Elizabeth Fry.

American poet Conrad Aiken, who purchased Jeake’s in 1924, called it his “deeply cherished home…lighted by laughter, the kind of light that never goes out”.

Anyone who meets Chris and Doris can see how much they love their new home, and that they intend it to be lit by laughter.

Rooms at Jeake’s House can be reserved by phoning 01797 222828, emailing stay@jeakeshouse.com, or through the booking.com website.

Read Jenny Hadfield on forty years at Jeake’s House in this Rye News article from February.

Image Credits: David Worwood .