Old Bell Inn, Rye

The original Bell is the genuine old half-timbered brick and tile hung building which has a shared roof with the building to the right known as 'The Mint' and they probably were one building originally. The Bell was tiny and only took extended to roughly the area of the present public bar on the right. In 1934 Star Brewery of Eastbourne purchased Gasson's Warehouse to the left (part was a blacksmith's shop) and demolished it. The redesign of the pub is thought to be by Eastbourne's radical architect Andrew Ford, who was employed by Star Brewery. A mock Tudor extension was added in alternative brick and stone and the corner entrance is topped by a stone arch featuring a bell.

The interior retains a substantial amount of fittings from the 1934 refit. Originally it consisted of three rooms - note the right hand door (no longer in use) has 'Public Bar' carved into it; middle door (also disused) has 'Private Bar' carved into it, and the only entrance is now on the left hand corner which was originally the saloon bar entrance. The public bar on the right has a distinctive style of panelling on the bar counter, half-height panelling, even on a bench, and on the doors including a narrow one (disused) between it and the private bar in the timber and brick part glazed partition wall. There is some 1930s floor to ceiling tiling in the entrance lobby, now the kitchen at the rear of the public bar.

A gap has been cut in recent times between the left and right rooms. The saloon bar on the left has a fielded panelled bar counter (it has a replacement top) and fielded panelling on the dado; the bar back fitting looks like a 1960s replacement. Original doors to 'Ladies Only' and the gents', which are remarkably intact with floor to ceiling 1930s tiling and three large urinals - the ladies also has 1930s floor to ceiling tiling.