Hastings, Sussex
Historical Description
Hastings, a municipal and parliamentary borough in-East Sussex, and the chief of the Cinque Ports. The town stands on the coast, about 11 miles from the boundary with Kent, nearly midway between Beachy Head and Dungeness, 63 miles by road and 63 and 74 by railway SE by S of London. The South Coast railway and the South-Eastern railway have a joint station at the old town of Hastings; the South-Eastern has two stations also at St Leonards, about a mile W of the former, and afterwards sends off a branch to Tnnbridge; and the South Coast has likewise a station at the extreme W of St Leonards, a little beyond the junction of the South-Eastern's Tunbridge branch. These railways, with their ramifications and connections, give the town communication with all parts of the kingdom.
History.-A very ancient town is alleged to have stood-on ground considerably S of the present one, to have been fortified in the year 40 by Arviragus against the Romans, and to have at some unrecorded time before the Conquest been swept away by the sea. It is considered that the Portus' Novus mentioned by Ptolemy was either at Hastings or on-the coast to the E. Either that town, if it ever existed— or the nucleus of the present one, appears on record under the name of Hastings, about the year 780, in the reign of Offa. The " ing " in its name distinctly marks it as one of the earliest Saxon settlements, and the full name Hastings no less clearly marks it as a settlement of the tribe called the Hsestingas. A Danish sea-king, called Hasten or Hast-inge, took post at it about 880 or 893, and he has generally but erroneously been regarded as the origin of its name. The-town was made the place of a mint in 924 by Athelstan, made some figure in maritime and state affairs in the time of Edward the Confessor, had numerous ships and seamen at the time of the Conquest, was the place of the Conqueror's encampment on the eve of the great battle which won him the crown of England, and has currently given name to that battle, though really fought at Senlac, where now stands the-town of Battle, 7 miles distant; and it had a castle which was restored or strengthened by the Conqueror. It was made a member of the Cinque Ports system, organised by the Conqueror to supply the kingdom with ships and to defend it from invasion, and it long had high reputation for shipbuilding, partly in consequence of its ready command of material from the great Sussex forests; but it did not rise into importance and wealth equally with Rye and Winchelsea, and therefore did not sustain such burnings by the French as befell them, yet it was attacked twice by the French in 1217 and 1340, and burnt by them in 1377. It seems to have had a good harbour till about the beginning of the reign of Elizabeth, but this was then destroyed by the violence of a storm which carried the pier away, and though efforts were made at several times to reconstruct the pier or to form a new one they proved unsuccessful. The town gradually declined till, toward the middle of the 18th century, it became a mere fish-ring village and a retreat of smugglers; but then it was frequented for sea-bathing, and in consequence of its being recommended by Dr Baillie as a resort for his patients it became popular as a watering-place, and thence till now it has steadily increased in that character, attracting visitors, and undergoing extension and improvement. Among the visitors have been the Queen, Duchess of Kent, Prince and Princess of Wales, the Dowager Empress of Germany, and Empress Eugenie, .as also the late Prince Imperial of France.
Site and Structure.-The town consists of Hastings proper and St Leonards - on - Sea, and has a length along the beach of fully 3 miles, with a breadth at the broadest part of about 1½ mile. The old part lies in a vale or hollow descending to the beach, and engirt with high hills and cliffs on all sides except toward the sea, and the new part runs westward along the shore at the base of a range of steep hills. The whole in connection with site and environs is by far more picturesque than any other watering-place in Sussex, and even presents more striking features than any other in Kent, excepting Dover. The East cliff at its E end looks down upon the old town as upon a picture, and at the same time on a clear day commands a view across the Channel to the coast of France. An ancient earthwork has left traces here, and is thought by some to have been the Conqueror's camp before his march to Battle, but more probably was either a work of prior date or merely an outpost of observation, for the camp, as indicated by the records respecting it, seems to have been on low ground near the site of the present railway station. The West Hill at the W end of the old town is also a striking object, both from its own contour and from its being surmounted by remains of the ancient castle. The streets and outskirts within the hollow between the two cliffs continued till after 1828 to be the entire town, and they now present a mixture of old and recent features. The newer portions there were erected chiefly for visitors, and possess a pleasing character. A strictly new town at St Leonards, which may be called the Belgravia of Hastings, was begun in 1828 and long remained entirely separate-extensions westward from the old town and eastward from St Leonards eventually uniting them; and large and handsome houses arose as the influx of visitors increased. Another large extension, including a great number of elegant houses, has been made on crown lands facing the sea in the parish of Holy Trinity. An esplanade faced with stone extends along all the coast of the old town between the E and W cliffs, and is prolonged by a marine parade to St Leonards. At the Marine Parade near the Castle Hill is the West Hill Lift opened in 1891, and connecting the sea front with the upper part of the town by a double line of tram-cars. The length of the track is 450 feet, passing through'a tunnel of 863 feet. Hastings and St Leonards are now united by terraces and parades that stretch for about 3 miles along the shore. Pelham Crescent stands in a curve of the W Cliff or Castle Hill under bold escarpments of the rock, consists of handsome houses with a church conspicuously in the centre, and is reached at the E end by a flight of steps, at the W end by a steep carriage road. Wellington Square stands under shelter of the W side of the Castle Hill, is open on the S side toward the sea, and consists of elegant houses. Farther W, the fine houses of Warrior Square form a break in the sea frontage, and are favourite residences for visitors and inhabitants. A handsome arch of Doric character, in the manner of the ancient triumphal arch, stands on the thoroughfare at the boundary point between Hastings proper and St Leonards. Near it on the parade stands Campbell's house, in which he wrote his " Address to the Sea." The Marina, within St Leonards, and extending along the beach, is a neat range of buildings in Ionic and Corinthian architecture, and has in its basements a covered colonnade or series of piazzas with occasional breaks to a length of 500 feet. Several of the hotels form fine and prominent features. One hotel in St Leonards is alleged to cover the spot on which the Conqueror dined on the day of his landing, and the rocfc which served as his table is shown in the adjoining gardens; but the true place probably was nearer Pevensey. A complex system of drainage in St Leonards was constructed in 1867. The town is lighted with the electric light for the whole length of the sea-front, about 2½ miles in extent
Public Buildings.-The Castle stood on the S extremity of the West Cliff, needed no fortification there on account of the cliff's'vertical descent to the beach, and had its main entrance on the N side, where traces of the portcullis-groove and the gates' hinges still exist. Its area was about an acre and a half, is now neatly disposed in pleasure-grounds, and commands a fine view of both parts of the town and coast There are underground chambers, perhaps used as dungeons, on the N side. Its masonry appears to have been Norman, built immediately or soon after the Conquest with the materials or on the site of a previous fortress, and seems to have been constructed on a very irregular outline. Fragments of three semicircular towers are now on the E side; stumps of a circular tower and a square one, still of considerable height, are on the W side; interesting remains of a chapel, together with stone coffins found by excavation in 1824, also exist. The castle was for a tune the residence of the Conqueror; was, it is said, the scene of a tournament in½honour of his coronation-the first tournament ever held in England; was given by the Conqueror to the Count of En; remained with the Count's descendants till the middle of the 13th century; passed then to the Crown, and belongs now to the Earl of Chi-chester. The chapel, though connected with the castle, was ruled by a dean and secular canons, and had for a dean Thomas a Becket, and for a canon William of Wykeham. A previous chapel, or one connected with the previous fortress, was the scene of Ansehn's consecrating Bloet Bishop of Lincoln. A strong ancient wall defending the seaward side of the town extended from the East Cliff to the Castle Hill, and some portions of this still exist in Bourne Street and George Street. A range of martello towers, built in 1806, extends along the coast from Seaford in Sussex to Hythe in Kent The town-hall (or municipal buildings) is a stone building in the Gothic style, erected in 1880 at a cost of £20, 000. The in teriorcontainsasplendid council-room, with stained windows, bearing the arms of the Earls of Sussex, the see of Chichester, and others. The building also includes a spacious police court, committee and magistrates' rooms, and offices for the town officials. A school of science and art was erected in 1878, and valuable public reference library, given by Lord Brassey. In the same building, called the Brassey Institute, there is also a museum, full of local and other objects of interest. A fish-market was erected in 1870 on the east beach. The Hastings Baths, at White Eock, were erected in 1876-79 at a cost of £60, 000, and comprise toilet-rooms, ladies' and gentlemen's swimming baths, private and Turkish baths. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution has a boat and boat-house on the East Parade. A large hydropathic establishment, situated in the old London road, was opened in 1884. A highly ornate drinking-fountain stands a little E of Holy Trinity Church, is built of Portland stone in a style to correspond with the church, is adorned with figures of Christ and the woman of Samaria, and of the four evangelists, and has a groined canopy surmounting four marble columns, rising from a high massive square base. An Albert clock-tower was built in 1864, is in the Gothic style, and 65 feet high; has a statue of the late Prince Consort in a niche on its chief front, and both supplies a drinking-fonntain and serves as a sea-mark. The public hall, handsome and spacious, stands in Holy Trinity parish. The Gaiety Theatre, opposite the town-hall, and opened in 1882, is a large, handsome building of brick holding 2000. The market-hall in George Street is a spacious room belonging to the town council, was formerly much used for balls and concerts, is now chiefly occupied for a corn-market, and stands over a commodious meat and vegetable market. The assembly-rooms stand behind the Victoria Hotel, and are used for balls and public lectures. Baths are placed in the basement of this building. A post office is situated on the ground floor of the Victoria Hotel, and in front, on the parade, are a circulating library, reading-room, and shops. The pier at Hastings is an iron structure, erected in 1892 at a cost of £32, 000. It is 920 feet in length and 40 wide, and at the end is a pavilion capable of holding 2000 people. The pier at St Leonards was opened in 1891. It is a handsome structure with a pavilion, close to the shore end, which is capable of accommodating 1000 persons. There is a promenade to the pierhead, with bandstand and landing-stage for passengers from steamers. A literary institution is in George Street, a mechanics' institution in St Leonards, and on the West Hill there is an endowed grammar school. Both in Hastings and in St Leonards there are numerous large and flourishing private schools for the education of boys, and also for girls. There are likewise several convalescent and other hospitals, dispensaries, and a number of other benevolent institutions. The borough cemetery at Ore possesses considerable attraction. The Hastings, St Leonards, and East Sussex Hospital at White Eock was erected in 1886-87 at a cost of £18, 000. It is a building of brick with Portland stone dressings.
All Saints' Church stands picturesquely at the head of the old town; is mainly Later English; consists of nave, chancel, and aisles, with western embattled tower; was restored in 1869, and was served by the father of Titus Oates, and has in its register a record of the informer's baptism. A very fine organ was placed in the church in 1878. St Clement's Church stands in High Street, is also Later English, has in its tower a ball which was fired from the French and Dutch fleet in 1720, and contains two brasses of 1568 and 1601. The curfew continues to be rung here during the winter months. St Mary-in-the-Castle Church stands in the centre of Pelham Crescent, was built in 1828, has a recessed portico with a double row of Ionic pillars. It has been well restored and decorated. Holy Trinity Church is an erection in the Gothic style, with open timber roof, and was designed to have a beautiful tower 120 feet high. St Leonard's Church is a plain Gothic structure of 1831, and succeeded an ancient one, which is supposed to have been swept away by the sea. St Matthew's was built in 1885; St Paul's Church in 1868. Other churches are St Clement Halton, St Andrew's, All Souls', Emmanuel, the Fishermen's Church, St Mary Magdalene, Christ Church, St John's (Upper St Leonards), Christ Church, Blacklands, and St Peter's. There are Congregational, Baptist, Calvinist, Wesleyan, Primitive Methodist, Unitarian, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic chapels, buildings for the Salvation Army, and a Friends' meeting-house, and there are also a Roman Catholic college and a convent. The Roman Catholic Church, dedicated to St Mary, Star of the Sea, is a building in the English Gothic style, erected in 1882. It contains two beautiful carved altars of Caen stone. The Augustinian monastery, which originally stood on the site of the Hastings railway station, was founded in the time of Richard I. by Sir Walter Bricet, and was removed inland to Warbleton because of the inroads of the sea.
Parishes.-The civil parishes within the borough are All Saints', St Clement,'St Andrew, Holy Trinity, St Michael-on-the-Rock, St Mary Magdalene, and St Mary Bulverhithe, large parts of St Mary-in-the-Castle and St Leonard-on-Sea, and small parts of Ore and Bexhill. St Andrew is an ancient parish, but the church is modern, having been built in 1869. St Michael-on-the-Rock also is ancient, but became incorporated ecclesiastically with St Mary Magdalene; yet still appoints its officers and is rated separately. Holy Trinity was extra-parochial till 1831. StMary Bulverhithe, though returned as a parish, is really but a manor. Ore and Bexhill are so slightly connected with Hastings that they require to be noticed in their own respective places, and the part of Bexhill parish within Hastings is only within the parliamentary borough, and not within the municipal limits. St Clement Halton ranks as a parochial chapelry, constituted in 1839. All the ecclesiastical parishes are in the diocese of Chichester, and all the livings in Hastings are vicarages, with the exception of All Saints' and St Clement's, which are rectories. The net value of All Saints', with Fishermen's Church, is £100 (population, 3999): St Clements, gross value, £170 with residence (3164); St Mary-in-the-Castle, with Silverdale, £270 (6130); All Souls', Olive Vale, gross value, £150 with residence (2038); Christ Church, Black-lands,, £120 with residence (3159); Emmanuel, £360 with residence (5177); Holy Trinity, £300 (5506); St Andrew's, -£33 (1666), and St Clement's Halton, £160 with residence. The livings in St Leonards are titular rectories by a special act of parliament.
Trade.-The town has a head and various branch post offices, several banks, many very fine hotels and boarding houses, is a coastguard station, and publishes six newspapers. Large support is drawn from the presence of visitors, and the chief employments of the poorer classes are fishing and boat-building. The fishing is principally for herring and mackerel. The fishermen have peculiar habits, and are supposed to derive some of their customs and daring from the smuggling experiences of former generations. Caves, said to have been used by the smugglers, and known as St Clement's Caves, exist in the West Hill, and are open daily, and frequently lighted up for the inspection of the curious* Commerce appears to have been considerable before the construction of the harbour in the time of Elizabeth; it now consists chiefly in a coasting trade in timber, coal, and building materials.
The Watering-Place.-Hastings, as a watering-place, holds a rank about midway between Brighton and Margate. Its climate varies greatly in different parts, according to situation and altitude, and therefore renders it, as a retreat for health, suitable to different classes of invalids. The lower parts, from the East Cliff to Pelham Place, have such thorough shelter as to be suited to delicate pulmonary sufferers even in winter and spring; the higher parts have an air more bracing and yet milder than the watering-places in East Kent, and at the same time present facilities for vigorous exercise; and the parts to the west, especially in the choicer spots of Sfe Leonards, combine the advantages of the low and the high. The general death-rate, and the number of deaths from zymotic diseases, are remarkably low. The bathing accommodation, in both the E and the W, is good, and has well-sheltered spots. Recreations of every kind are plentiful. Pleasure steamers make trips along the coast, and across the Channel to France, during the summer months. In-door amusements are as good and various as in other large watering-places; public bands play on the parade; an archery ground and gardens are at St Leonards; a cricket ground is near the Albert Clock Tower; tastefully laid-out walks form a public garden at St Andrews; golf links have been formed on the East Hill; a fine rising ground is on the Fairlight Downs, toward Winchelsea; scope for boating, for fishing, and for other sport is abundant, and numerous enticements to geologists, to antiquaries, and to lovers of the picturesque, are either in the neighbourhood or within short distances. During the hunting season the East Sussex fox-hounds meet within easy distances. Alexandra Park and Gardens, containing an area of 76 acres, are prettily laid out with flowerbeds and trees; the park is also ornamented with miniature lakes, and was opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales. The archery gardens are to the W of the St Leonards Gardens; the Gensing Gardens are prettily laid out in the centre of St Leonards.
The Borough.-Hastings was chartered by Edward the Confessor, and acquired all the privileges of a cinque port in the time of William the Conqueror. The mayor was given to the town by Queen Elizabeth. Under the provisions of the Local Government Act, 1888, the town was declared a county borough. It is governed by a mayor, six aldermen, and eighteen councillors. The council is the urban sanitary authority. It formerly sent two members to Parliament, but under the Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885, the number was reduced to one. Area of the municipal borough, 2194 acres; population, 52, 223; area of the parliamentary borough, 3604 acres; population, 60, 878.
Administration
The following is a list of the administrative units in which this place was either wholly or partly included.
| Ancient County | Sussex | |
| Poor Law union | Hastings |
Any dates in this table should be used as a guide only.
Directories & Gazetteers
We have transcribed the entry for Hastings from the following:
Maps
Online maps of Hastings are available from a number of sites:
- Bing (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- Google Streetview.
- National Library of Scotland. (Old maps)
- OpenStreetMap.
- old-maps.co.uk (Old Ordnance Survey maps to buy).
- Streetmap.co.uk (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- A Vision of Britain through Time. (Old maps)
Newspapers and Periodicals
The British Newspaper Archive have fully searchable digitised copies of the following Sussex newspapers online: