And so, the first lovely weekend of summer 2010 appeared. Sunlight streamed through the feeble-at-best blinds in the new pad, indicating that it would indeed be far easier to rise early in the summer months, rather than the reluctant, morose stumble out of bed that had happened every working morning since settling in. By 10am, the dazzlingly clear natural light did little more than highlight the crumbs of toast and other detritus that had fallen on the floor, not to mention the dust on the now brilliant white surfaces. We had to escape, in the vain hope that some imaginary maid would turn up in our absence and make all the messy imperfection disappear.
Stopping only to gather up nearby companions, and the barely roadworthy second-hand Fiesta, we inched our way out of London, past the infamous Swanley Interchange, out into verdant green Kent and beyond to Sussex. There were two options - fish & chips on the beach at Camber Sands, or a stroll around Rye.
In the end, we managed both, with Rye as our first stop. Even on a Saturday, Rye is a delight. It is pretty much the quintessential English village that offers a living definition of 'pastoral'- cobbled streets, eccentric dwellings, beautiful blossoms in the churchyard, even an old sweet shop. It brings to mind a nostalgia for an England we should have spent our summer holidays in, all fresh faced and innocent, surrounded by stonework and green fields, and a sun that sets later than it does these days. As it happens, a few summers of my childhood were spent in Rye, but the only recollection that springs to mind is the discovery of an 8-track player and attendant tape of Abbey Road that got played repeatedly. This time, some 20+ years later, the highlight was our afternoon tea at the Mermaid Corner Tearoom.
Anyone who prizes ceremony and etiquette as part of the afternoon tea experience should look elsewhere in Sussex. For in this instance, there is none beyond the matching tea set and crockery. The tearoom is connected to the Old Borough Arms Hotel above it, but is its own distinct entity. It's at once modern and old fashioned, with outdoor seating crammed into the cobbled street outside; the desired result should be European-cosmpolitan, but next to a main road (albeit on a bend with scant passing traffic) and the menu offering afternoon tea, it still retains a charming Britishness. In the sun, it's idyllic, the collective reverie interrupted only by a hen party who are trying to spell the word 'featuring' on a mobile phone and locating the rest of their party.
Once the expectant hens had disappeared and the tea delivered, everything suddenly seemed right in the world again. The scones themselves (offered with and without raisins - I chose with) are delicious, seemingly freshly baked, and offering a consistency and sweetness that balances out the cream (clotted, but not fresh) and jam (strawberry) which were generously if not plentifully supplied. Topped off with a delicious pot of Early Gray, which ceded two cups' worth, this was one of the most enjoyable Sconoisseur experiences in a long while. Indeed it took a lot of willpower not to order a second round, and were it not for the pleas to explore the village from my fellow diners, there would certainly have been another order placed.
In the end, though, one round was enough. We walked round the town, half-remembering the verge where younger siblings fell down and broke off their big toenail, glumly catching the enticing bakers and churches just as they were closing. By the time we'd got to Camber Sands, our appetites had returned, and we ended the day with a hearty fish and chip dinner sat on the beach. If only all weekends were like this...
Address: The Old Borough Arms, Strand Quay, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7DB
