Dumb Womans Lane

posted by Cliff Baker on 26 Oct 2006 at 12:11 am

Drove through Rye the other night, chasing weather and noticed the above mentioned road. Having been married to a woman who has been deaf since birth, for 15 years now, i couldn't resist the need to learn the history of this unusual road name.

Anybody know the truth about this road ?

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Dumb Womans Lane History

posted by Rob on 06 Dec 2011 at 8:32 pm

Id also be interested to hear how the road got its name. Anyone?

Dumbwomans Lane Reply

posted by Robert Kirkland on 11 Feb 2012 at 2:30 pm

Don't know the exact origins of the name but I do know that Spike Milligan lived there in a house called Carpenters, now Three Chimneys until his tragic death.....,

Dumb Woman Lane

posted by Romie Clarke on 08 Aug 2014 at 9:33 pm

Had me curious to my friend lives near there. It's named after a mute medicinal woman who used to treat local villagers more than 100 years ago. I hope that helps66cd8

Dumbwoman's Lane

posted by Denis Langley on 14 Jun 2015 at 5:31 pm

There's two other suggestions as to the origin of the name.One says that it was where so-called witches were taken to have their tongues ripped out so they couldn't call out to the Devil for help before they were burned at the stake. The other says that there used to be an old woman who lived in one of the cottages at the top of the lane who was bribed with a barrel of wine/rum to stay quiet when smugglers took their loads up the lane and away over the fields to places inland. You pays yer money, you takes yer choice!