The presence of the Wye Undercroft, an elaborate structure for what was ostensibly a small agricultural village, raises questions about Wye’s economic reach. Its six-part vaulted roof and solid construction suggest it was quite expensively and carefully built for an enduring and lucrative purpose, such as the wine trade.
Wine was a valuable commodity as well as a luxury good in the medieval period, and its importation via Winchelsea indicates Wye was engaged in broader commercial networks. If Wye was involved in the wine trade, it suggests either a wealthy clientele, perhaps including visiting clergy, pilgrims, or nobility - or a demand generated by an institution, such as the Collegiate Church.