The fascinating story of the Rye Town Model is featured in a new BBC podcast, marking the attraction’s fiftieth anniversary. It comes as repairs have been taking place to the outside of Rye Heritage Centre, where the model is housed.
The story is highlighted in one of the latest episodes of Secret Sussex, and sees BBC Radio Sussex producer Simon Furber explore the model’s creation by Joy and Ted Harland in the 1970s.
“It’s the only surviving sound and light town model still operating in England,” he says. “A hand built time-capsule version of Victorian Rye.”
He describes how the model was made, the story of its UK tour, financial rescue by Rye Town Council, and how it was saved by volunteers in recent years.
Simon Parsons and Keith Warby from Rye Heritage Centre are interviewed. “It’s an incredible model,” says Simon. “A very important tool for tourism in giving people an introduction to the town and our history.”
You can hear the podcast on BBC Sounds. Recommended.
Scaffolding has now come down at the Heritage Centre after the recent repairs, says manager Simon Parsons. “Rye Town Council has been carrying out some reconstruction and repair work to the flat roof above the single storey extension – a necessary maintenance job to resolve an occasional but persistent leak which manifests itself in bad weather, threatening the reception counter of the centre.”
“The trustees of the Heritage Centre are grateful to the council for addressing this long term issue,” he said. “Also to their contractors, local firm Tolletts, for carrying out the work in a careful and professional manner.”
After being closed for a week, the centre re-opened on Saturday 18 April.
Image Credits: Rye Heritage Centre , James Stewart .