Castle & East St. Museum
Group Guide
Thank you for your booking at Ypres Castle, also known as Rye Castle. We look forward to welcoming your group or school party to one of Rye’s most historic and atmospheric landmarks.
Your visit has been reserved for the date and time shown on your booking confirmation. Please keep your confirmation details safe and bring them with you on the day, either on a mobile device or as a printed copy that has been emailed to you, so our team can check you in quickly and smoothly.
We ask you read through this guide prior to your visit.
Before you
Arrive
Please ensure your group arrives within the booking slot(s) as indicated on your tickets. Late arrival may mean a shorter visit or, depending on the day’s schedule, entry may not be possible, especially where timed sessions or back-to-back group visits are in place. The steward on duty may permit early or late entry if permissions allow.
If you are travelling by coach, mini-bus, or multiple cars, please allow extra time for parking, unloading, and gathering the group together before you approach the entrance. For school visits, we strongly recommend that staff and accompanying adults complete headcounts before entering the site.
Groups above 24 persons:
For groups larger than 24 we ask you arrive separately and to organise this among yourself when your visit is taking place. The castle can only accommodate 1 group of up to 24 at a time. We suggest 40 – 60 minutes for adult groups and 30 – 45 minutes for school groups in the castle.
Finding
Rye’s coach park can be found alongside the station at (///twee.receive.kettles).
On foot you will find us nearby St. Marys Church and we are signposted throughout rye. For walking directions https://citymapper.com/go/esjasugih9
When at
The Castle
To help everything run smoothly, we ask group leaders and teachers to stay with their party throughout the visit. This is especially important in a historic building with stairways, uneven surfaces, and confined spaces.
Large groups may be split into smaller sections for operational reasons, and we may ask one part of the party to wait briefly or visit a different part of the castle. This helps us manage capacity, maintain safety, and give everyone a better experience.
Ypres Castle is a historic building, so we ask all visitors to treat the site with care and respect. Please do not climb on walls, touch displays unless invited to do so, or behave in a way that could damage the building or disturb other visitors.
Children must remain under supervision at all times, and all visitors should follow any instructions given by staff. Due to the nature of the building, some areas may be uneven, steep, narrow, or low in places, so sensible footwear is strongly advised.
Where applicable, certain items such as food, drink, or large bags will not be permitted within the castle. Assistance dogs are welcome, but other pets are not normally permitted inside the building.
Accesability &
SAFETY
Because Ypres Castle is a historic structure, accessibility can be limited in some areas. If a member of your group has mobility needs, or if you would like to discuss access before your visit, please contact us in advance so we can advise as clearly as possible.
We also recommend that visitors take care on staircases and in any areas with uneven surfaces. If anyone in your party has sensory sensitivities, medical needs, or would benefit from a quieter arrival process, please let us know before the visit so we can try to accommodate where reasonably possible.
On the entrance floor, we have a virtual walk through for those who require it.
Schools & Youth
School groups are very welcome at Ypres Castle, and we aim to make each visit educational, engaging, and manageable for teachers and pupils alike. The site can be a valuable learning tool for history, local studies, architecture, and heritage topics, especially when linked to Rye’s wider medieval story.
We recommend that schools bring sufficient adult supervision for the size and age of the group, with particular attention to stairs, steps, and narrow areas inside the building. Teachers and support staff should also remind pupils to move carefully and to listen for instructions from site staff at all times.
If your school has specific curriculum aims, mobility considerations, or safeguarding requirements, please let us know in advance so we can help make appropriate arrangements. Advance notice is especially helpful for larger groups or visits involving multiple classes.
East Street Museum
your Visit
Please contact us to discuss and arrange for activities to support your visit. Office@RyeMuseum.co.uk
Toilets &
FACILITIES
We are unable to offer toilet facilities within the castle or East Street, however just outside is the Gun garden which contains public toilets.
This garden housing replica cannons is an excellent place for packed lunches, but it outdoors and open to the elements.
Below the castle is access to the public parks, which also hosts toilet facilities.
Changes &
Occasionally, arrangements may need to change due to operational reasons, maintenance, weather, staffing, or unforeseen circumstances. If this happens, we will do our best to contact you as soon as possible and offer an alternative arrangement where available.
For group and school bookings, any cancellation or amendment policy should be read alongside your booking confirmation and any terms supplied at the time of purchase. Refunds, where applicable, are subject to the booking conditions in force at the time and to management discretion where stated.
Contact Details
If you need to update your booking, clarify arrival arrangements, or discuss access and supervision requirements, please contact the team before your visit. Keeping communication open in advance helps us prepare for your group and gives you the smoothest possible experience on the day.
groups@ryemuseum.co.uk