Hastings
—  Town and Borough  —
Borough of Hastings
Hastings Central Seafront at Fireworks night
Coat of arms
Hastings Shown within East Sussex
East Sussex shown within England
Shown within the United Kingdom
Country	United Kingdom
Constituent Country	England
Region	Southeast England
County	East Sussex
District	Hastings
Government Leader & Cabinet
- Type	Borough
- MP	Michael Foster
- Governing body	Hastings Borough Council
- Mayor	Maureen Charlesworth
Population (2006 est. East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one South East England is one of the nine official Regions of England. The ceremonial counties are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as the Counties for the purposes of the Lieutenancies East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government Borough status in the United Kingdom is granted by Royal charter to Local government Districts in England, Wales and Northern Composition Graphical representation of the House of Commons This is a comparison of the party strengths in the British House of Commons Michael Jabez Foster (born 26 February 1946) British Politician. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government )
- Borough	86,100 Ranked 276th
- Density	7,503. The figures are mid-year estimates for 2007 from the Office for National Statistics. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 2/sq mi (2,897/km²)
Time zone	GMT (UTC+0)
- Summer (DST)	British Summertime (UTC+1)
Post Code Area	Tonbridge (TN34, 35, 37, 38)
Area code(s)	01424
Twin Cities
- Dordrecht	Netherlands
- Schwerte	Germany
- Oudenaarde	Belgium
- Béthune	France
Police	Sussex
Fire	E. Sussex
Ambulance	S.E. Coast
Grid reference	TQ821095
ONS code	21UD
London Distance	64 miles (103 km)
Website: www.hastings.gov.uk

Hastings is a town on the coast of East Sussex in England; it is also the administrative centre for the Borough of the same name. Greenwich Mean Time ( GMT) is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London Coordinated Universal Time, the basis for the world's civil time frequently referred to by the name of its predecessor Greenwich Mean Time Western Daylight saving time ( DST UTC+1 is used in the following locations Central European Time West Africa Time Western European Summer Time The, also known as the Tonbridge postcode area, is a group of postal districts around Ashford, Battle, Bexhill-on-Sea, Cranbrook, A telephone numbering plan is a plan for allocating Telephone number ranges to countries regions areas and exchanges and to non-fixed telephone networks This is a list of " twin towns " or " sister cities " — that is pairs of towns or cities in different countries which have Town twinning arrangements Dordrecht (population 119649 in 2004 or in English (and locally colloquially Dordt, is a city and municipality in the Dutch province of South The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Schwerte is a town in the district of Unna, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Oudenaarde ( French Audenarde, English sometimes Oudenarde) is a Belgian municipality in the Flemish province The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Béthune (Betun is a city and commune of northern France, sous-préfecture of the Pas-de-Calais département This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Sussex Police is the Home Office police force responsible for policing East Sussex, West Sussex and City of Brighton and Hove in southern The East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for the county of East Sussex and city of Brighton and Hove The South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb is the NHS Ambulance Services Trust for south-eastern England, covering Kent (including Medway The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude The Office for National Statistics coding system is a hierarchical code used in the United Kingdom for tabulating Census and other statistical data London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Borough status in the United Kingdom is granted by Royal charter to Local government Districts in England, Wales and Northern Within the Borough is the satellite town of St Leonards-on-Sea; it includes three originally separate settlements, as well as the inevitable growth of the town through the building of new estates. St Leonards-on-Sea (or for short St Leonards is part of Hastings, East Sussex, England, lying immediately to the west of the centre

In historical terms, Hastings can claim fame through its connection with the Norman conquest of England; and also because it became one of the medieval Cinque Ports. Cinque Ports is also the name of a 1703 Galleon (ship The Confederation of Cinque Ports (sɪŋk pɔrts is a historic series of coastal Hastings was, for centuries, an important fishing port; although much reduced, it has the largest beach-based fishing fleet in England. For the computer security term see Phishing. Fishing is the activity of catching Fish. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland As with many other such places, the town became a watering place in the 1760s, and then, with the coming of the railway, a seaside resort. A seaside resort is a Resort located on the Coast. Where a Beach is the primary focus for Tourists it may be called a beach resort

The attraction of Hastings as a tourist destination continues; although the numbers of hotels has decreased, it caters for wider tastes, being home to internationally-based cultural and sporting events, such as chess and running. It has set out to become "a modern European town" and seeks to attract commercial business in the many industrial sites round the borough. ^[1]

Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2.1 Early history 2.2 Medieval Hastings 2.3 Hastings and the sea 3 Governance 4 Geography 5 Demography 6 Economy 7 Transport 7.1 Road 7.2 Rail 7.3 Paths 7.4 Historical transport systems 7.4.1 Turnpike 7.4.2 Trams 8 Landmarks 9 Education 10 Religious buildings 11 Culture 12 Visitor attractions 13 Sport 14 Noted residents 15 Hastings in film and television 16 External links 17 References 17.1 Notes 17.2 Bibliography

Etymology

There are differing views as to the etymology of the name Hastings. The main suggestion appears to be that it could be from the Old English Haestingas (a settlement of the family of a man called Hæsta^[2] who established a Jutish colony here in the fifth century; Marchant (see below) states that Hastings is the only non-Saxon settlement in Sussex. The Jutes, Iuti, or Iutae were a Germanic people who according to Bede were one of the three most powerful Germanic peoples of the time

History

Early history

There is evidence of prehistoric settlements at the site of the town: flint arrowheads and Bronze Age artefacts have been found; Iron Age forts have been excavated on both the East and West Hills suggests an early move to the safety of the valley in between, so that the settlement was already a port when the Romans arrived in Britain for the first time in 55 BC. The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC At this time they began to exploit the iron (Wealden rocks provide a plentiful supply of the ore), and so the port was useful to them. One of the many local sites where the iron was worked at Beauport Park, to the north of the town, which employed up to one thousand men and is considered to have been the third largest in the Roman Empire. ^[3]

With the departure of the Romans the town suffered setbacks. The Beauport site had been abandoned; and natural and man-made attacks began. The Sussex coast has always suffered from occasional violent storms; with the additional hazard of longshore drift (the eastward movement of shingle along the coast) the coastline has been frequently changing. Longshore drift (sometimes known as shore drift, LSD or littoral drift) is a geological process by which Sediments such as sand The original Roman port could now well be under the sea. ^[4]

Man-made attacks possibly included the Danish invaders who gave the town its name, with their harbour in the west of the borough. Bulverhythe, where its original site is conjectured, suggests that: -hythe or hithe means a port or small haven. West Marina Redirects here For the former rail station see St Leonards West Marina or for the current station see West St Leonards Station. ^[5] A royal mint in Hastings was established in AD 928 during the reign of Athelstan. ^[6]

Medieval Hastings

The start of the Norman Conquest was the Battle of Hastings, fought on 14 October 1066; although the battle itself took place eight miles to the north at Senlac Hill, and William had landed on the coast between Hastings and Eastbourne at a site now known as Norman's Bay. The Battle of Hastings was the decisive Norman victory in the Norman Conquest of England. Events 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill seven miles from Hastings, the forces It is thought that the Norman encampment was on the town’s outskirts, where there was open ground; a new town was already being built in the valley to the east. That "New Burgh" was founded in 1069, and is mentioned in the Domesday Book as such. The Domesday Book (ˈduːmzdeɪ bʊk also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester) was the record of the great survey William defeated and killed Harold Godwinson, the last Saxon King of England, and destroyed his army; thus opening England to the Norman conquest.

William caused a castle to be built at Hastings probably using the earthworks of the existing Saxon castle.

Hastings was a shown as a borough by the time of the Domesday Book (1086); it had also given its name to the Rape of Hastings, one of the six administrative divisions of Sussex. A borough is an Administrative division of various countries In principle the term borough designates a self-governing Township although in practice The Domesday Book (ˈduːmzdeɪ bʊk also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester) was the record of the great survey A rape was a traditional sub-division of the county of Sussex in England. As a borough, Hastings had a corporation consisting of a "bailiff, jurats, and commonalty". A corporation is a separate legal entity usually used to conduct business By a Charter of Elizabeth I in 1589 the bailiff was replaced by a mayor.

Hastings and the sea

By the end of the Saxon period, the port of Hastings had moved eastward near the present town centre in the Priory Stream valley, whose entrance was protected by the White Rock headland (since demolished). It was to be a short stay: Danish attacks and huge floods in 1011 and 1014 motivated the townspeople to relocate to the New Burgh.

In the Middle Ages Hastings became one of the Cinque Ports; Sandwich, Dover, and New Romney being the first, Hastings, and Hythe followed, all finally being joined by Rye and Winchelsea, at one point 42 towns were directly or indirectly affiliated to the group. Cinque Ports is also the name of a 1703 Galleon (ship The Confederation of Cinque Ports (sɪŋk pɔrts is a historic series of coastal Sandwich is a historic town in Kent, south-east England. It was one of the Cinque Ports and still has many original medieval buildings Dover is a town and major ferry port in the county of Kent, England. New Romney is a small town in Kent, England, on the edge of Romney Marsh an area of flat rich agricultural land reclaimed from the sea Hythe (haɪð or haithe) is a small coastal market town on the edge of Romney Marsh, in the District of Shepway (derived from Sheep Way on the south coast The small town of Rye, in East Sussex, England, stands at the confluence of two rivers although in medieval times as an important member of the Cinque Ports This article concerns the town in the United Kingdom For the town in Victoria Australia see Winchelsea Victoria.

In the 13th century much of the town was washed away by the sea. During a naval campaign of 1339, and again in 1377, the town was raided and burnt by the French, and seems then to have gone into a decline. The English Channel naval campaign of the years 1338 and 1339 saw a protracted series of raids conducted by the nascent French navy and numerous privately owned raiders and pirates against As a port, Hastings' days were finished.

It had suffered over the years from the lack of a natural harbour, and there have been attempts to create a sheltered harbour. Attempts were made to build a stone harbour during the reign of Elizabeth I, but the foundations were destroyed by the sea in terrible storms. The last harbour project began in 1896, but this also failed when structural problems and rising costs exhausted all the available funds. Today a fractured sea-wall is all that remains of what might have become a magnificent harbour. In 1897 the foundation stone was laid of a large concrete structure, but there was insufficient money to complete the work and the "Harbour arm" remains uncompleted. It was partially blown up to discourage possible use by German invasion forces during World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The fishing boats are still stored on and launched from the beach.

Hastings was now a small fishing village, but it was soon discovered that the new taxes on luxury goods could be made profitable by smuggling, and the town was ideally located for that. ^[7] Near the castle ruins, on the West Hill, are "St Clement's Caves", partly natural, but mainly excavated by hand by the smugglers from the soft sandstone. St Clements Caves are located on the West Hill in Hastings, East Sussex. Their trade was to come to an end with the period following the Napoleonic Wars, for the town became one of the most fashionable resorts in Britain, brought about by the so-called properties of sea-water. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions Once this came about the expansion of the town took place, to the west, since there was little space left in the valley.

It was at this time that the elegant Pelham Crescent and Wellington Square were built: other building followed. In the Crescent is the classical style church of St Mary in the Castle (its name recalling the old chapel in the castle above) now in use as an arts centre. The building of the crescent and the church necessitated further cutting away of the castle hill cliffs. Once that move away from the old town had begun, it led to the further expansion along the coast, eventually linking up with the new St Leonards. St Leonards-on-Sea (or for short St Leonards is part of Hastings, East Sussex, England, lying immediately to the west of the centre

Governance

Hastings returned two Members of Parliament from the 14th century to 1885 since when it has returned one. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament.

Hastings, it is thought, was a Saxon town before the arrival of the Normans: the Domesday Book refers to a new Borough: as a borough, Hastings had a corporation consisting of a "bailiff, jurats, and commonalty". The Domesday Book (ˈduːmzdeɪ bʊk also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester) was the record of the great survey A corporation is a separate legal entity usually used to conduct business ^[8] Its importance was such that it also gave its name to one of the six Rapes or administrative districts of Sussex. A rape was a traditional sub-division of the county of Sussex in England.

By a Charter of Elizabeth I in 1589 the bailiff was replaced by a mayor, by which time the town's importance was dwindling. In the Georgian era, patronage of such seaside places (such as nearby Brighton) gave it a new lease of life so that, when the time came with the reform of English local government in 1888, Hastings became a County Borough, responsible for all its local services, independent of the surrounding county, then Sussex (East); less than one hundred years later, by the in 1974, that status was abolished. The arts Especially during the mid-18th century the period was marked by cultural vibrancy with the establishment of the British Museum in 1753 and the contributions Brighton ( is a town on the south coast of England and with its neighbour Hove, forms the city of Brighton and Hove. County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (excluding Scotland) to refer to a Borough or a City The Local Government Act 1972 (1972 c 70 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in England and Wales

Hastings Borough Council is now in the second tier of local government, below East Sussex County Council. East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the The Borough is divided into sixteen electoral wards as shown on the map,^[9] they are in four areas, as below. A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at subnational level represented by one or more councillors Some explanation of the ward names is also given:

Ward	Notes including name origin
Castle ward	Most central ward, including town centre and sea front
Braybrooke	Braybrooke Terrace is north of the town centre
Silverhill ward	Well-established area of Hastings
St Helens ward (part of Ore)	Area north of town: included St Helens Wood
Hastings Old Town
Ore ward	One-time separate village: largest ward in borough. Silverhill is a Suburb and Local Government Ward of Hastings, East Sussex. Hastings Old Town, is an area in Hastings roughly corresponding to the extent of the town prior to the nineteenth century Ore, a former village is a Suburb and (smaller Local Government Ward of the urban area of the town of Hastings in East Sussex.
Tressell ward (part of Ore)	NNE of town centre; named after Robert Tressell
Baird ward	NE of town centre; John Logie Baird
Central St Leonards ward	Main part of St Leonards, including sea front
Gensing ward	N of Central St Leonards ward; includes Gensing Gardens
Maze Hill ward	Between Central and West wards; one-time maze in West St Leonards gardens
West St Leonards ward	Large ward extending to the Borough boundary
Ashdown ward	Northernmost ward: contains Ashdown House
Conquest ward	Contains Conquest hospital
Hollington ward	One time village
Wishing Tree ward	Area named after an ancient tree

The most notable suburbs of Hastings are Ore, St Leonards on Sea, Silverhill, Bulverhythe, Hollington

Geography

Hastings is situated where the sandstone beds, at the heart of the Weald, known geologically as the Hastings Sands, meet the English Channel, forming tall cliffs to the east of the town. Robert Tressell ( Pen name used by Robert Noonan; April 17, 1870 &mdash February 3, 1911) was an Irish - British John Logie Baird (August 13 1888 – June 14 1946 was a Scottish engineer and inventor of the world's first working television system West Marina Redirects here For the former rail station see St Leonards West Marina or for the current station see West St Leonards Station. Hollington is a suburb and local government ward in the northwest of Hastings, East Sussex. Ore, a former village is a Suburb and (smaller Local Government Ward of the urban area of the town of Hastings in East Sussex. St Leonards-on-Sea (or for short St Leonards is part of Hastings, East Sussex, England, lying immediately to the west of the centre Silverhill is a Suburb and Local Government Ward of Hastings, East Sussex. West Marina Redirects here For the former rail station see St Leonards West Marina or for the current station see West St Leonards Station. Hollington is a suburb and local government ward in the northwest of Hastings, East Sussex. Sandstone is a Sedimentary rock composed mainly of Sand -size Mineral or rock grains. The Weald (wɪəld is the name given to a physiographic area in south-east England situated between the parallel Chalk Escarpments of the North Hastings Old Town is in a sheltered valley between the East Hill and West Hill (on which the remains of the Castle stand). Hastings Old Town, is an area in Hastings roughly corresponding to the extent of the town prior to the nineteenth century In Victorian times and later the town has spread westwards and northwards, and now forms a single urban centre with the more suburban area of St Leonards-on-Sea to the west. St Leonards-on-Sea (or for short St Leonards is part of Hastings, East Sussex, England, lying immediately to the west of the centre Roads from the Old Town valley lead towards the Victorian area of Clive Vale and the former village of Ore, from which "The Ridge", marking the effective boundary of Hastings, extends north-westwards towards Battle. Ore, a former village is a Suburb and (smaller Local Government Ward of the urban area of the town of Hastings in East Sussex. Battle is a small town in the Local government district of Rother in East Sussex, England, about 5 miles (8 km from Hastings Beyond Bulverhythe, the western end of Hastings is marked by low-lying land known as Glyne Gap, separating it from Bexhill-on-Sea. West Marina Redirects here For the former rail station see St Leonards West Marina or for the current station see West St Leonards Station. Glyne Gap is a strip of Marshland that separates the towns of Hastings and Bexhill-on-Sea. Bexhill-on-Sea (often simply Bexhill) is a town and Seaside resort in the county of East Sussex, in the south of England, within the

The sandstone cliffs have been the subject of considerable erosion in relatively recent times: much of the Castle was lost to the sea before the present sea defences and promenade were built, and a number of cliff-top houses are in danger of disappearing around the nearby village of Fairlight. Fairlight is a village in East Sussex, England within Rother district three miles (5 km to the east of Hastings.

The beach is mainly shingle, although wide areas of sand are uncovered at low tide. The town is generally built upon a series of low hills rising to 500 feet (150 m) above sea level at "The Ridge" before falling back in the river valley further to the north.

The town also has a large Victorian park, Alexandra Park. Alexandra Park is a public Park located in Hastings, East Sussex in England.

Like many coastal towns, the population of Hastings grew significantly as a result of the construction of railway links and the fashionable growth of seaside holidays during the Victorian era. Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities In 1801 its population was a mere 3,175; by 1831 it had reached over ten thousand; by 1891 it was almost sixty thousand, and the 2001 census reported over 85,000 inhabitants.

In the 1930s the town underwent some rejuvenation. Seaside resorts were starting to go out of fashion: Hastings perhaps more than most. The town council set about a huge rebuilding project, among which the promenade was rebuilt; and an Olympic-size bathing pool was erected. The latter, regarded in its day as one of the best open-air swimming and diving complexes in Europe, closed some years ago. The area is still known by locals as "The Bathing Pool". ^[10]

Demography

Hastings suffers at a disadvantage insofar as growth is concerned because of its restricted situation, lying as it does with the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to the north. An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB is an area of countryside with significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland Redevelopment of the area is partly hampered by the split administration of the combined Hastings and Bexhill economic region between Hastings and Rother district councils. See also River Rother for rivers named Rother ---- History Rother District was formed on 1 April 1974, under the There is little space for further large-scale housing and employment growth. Most of the jobs within the Borough are concentrated on health, public services, retail and education. 85% of the firms (in 2005) employed fewer than 10 people; as a consequence the unemployment rate was 3. 3% (cf. East Sussex 1. 7%); and almost one-third of the employable population had no skills at all in 2001. ^[11]

This situation has now become the subject of parliamentary consideration,^[12] and regeneration of the Borough is now being considered at that level. From being the third tourist resort in the country 50 years ago, Hastings has still not been able to shake off its over-reliance on tourism. Urban regeneration was deemed essential: too many of the buildings once used as hotels are still unfit for modern use; many of them are now refugee accommodation. There is a lack of highly-skilled job opportunities, and education standards are low, although the new college may help to ameliorate that. In addition Hastings has the highest proportion of elderly people in the UK.

Economy

Until the development of tourism, fishing was Hastings' major industry. For the computer security term see Phishing. Fishing is the activity of catching Fish. The beach launched fishing fleet, based at the Stade^[13] remains Europe's largest and has recently won accreditation for its sustainable methods. The word ‘Stade’ is an old Saxon term that dates from before the 1066 battle of Hastings and means "landing place" The fleet has been based on the same beach, below the cliffs at Hastings, for at least 400, possibly 600, years. Its longevity attributed to the prolific fishing ground of Rye Bay nearby. ^[14]

Hastings fishing vessels are registered at Rye, and thus bear the letters "RX" (Rye,SusseX). The small town of Rye, in East Sussex, England, stands at the confluence of two rivers although in medieval times as an important member of the Cinque Ports

On the beach near the Old Town are the so-called "net shops", said to be unique to Hastings, but similar buildings can be found in Whitby – these are wooden constructions, weatherboarded and tarred, of various shapes and sizes, used for storage. Whitby is a historic town and Civil parish in the Scarborough district of North Yorkshire on the north-east coast of England. The buildings were built tall and narrow to avoid payment of ground tax. They were never used for net drying; this is a popular misconception: nets were dried on the beach or on the piece of land known as the Minnis. The net huts are covered with traditional "clinker" weather-boarding and most of them measure about 25 feet in height by 8 feet square.

During the past 150 years, many net huts have been destroyed by stormy seas, and in the 1950s some of them were demolished by the Hastings Council as part of a clearance scheme for development of the beach. About forty-five of these unique structures still survive and are regularly maintained.

Transport

Road

There are two major roads in Hastings: the A21 trunk road to London; and the A259 coastal road. The A21 is a major Trunk road in Southern England connecting London with Hastings, East Sussex. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The A259 is a major Road in England, running along the south coast with part of the A259 running almost parallel to the A27 road. Both are beset with traffic problems: although the London road, which has to contend with difficult terrain, has had several sections of widening over the past decades there are still many delays. Long-term plans for a much improved A259 east–west route (including a Hastings bypass) were abandoned in the 1990s, but a new road to Bexhill-on-Sea is planned to relieve the congested coastal route. Bexhill-on-Sea (often simply Bexhill) is a town and Seaside resort in the county of East Sussex, in the south of England, within the ^[15] Hastings is also linked to Battle via the A2100, the original London road. Battle is a small town in the Local government district of Rother in East Sussex, England, about 5 miles (8 km from Hastings The A2100 is a non primary A road in East Sussex, England. It runs from Johns Cross roundabout to Baldslow in the north of Hastings The A28 road connects Hastings to Ashford, Margate and the Isle of Thanet. The A28 is a Trunk road in southern England. It runs south-west from the seaside resort of Margate in Kent via Westgate and Margate is a Seaside resort town within the Thanet district of East Kent, England. History See also Isle of Thanet The Isle of Thanet is the major part of the Thanet District The A27 road starts nearby at Pevensey. The A27 is a major Road in England. It runs from its junction with the A36 at Whiteparish (near Salisbury) in the county of Pevensey is a Village and Civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The Ring road includes parts of most of the main roads. The A21 is a major Trunk road in Southern England connecting London with Hastings, East Sussex.

The town is served by Stagecoach buses on routes that serve the town; and also extend to Bexhill, Eastbourne and Dover. Stagecoach Group plc ( is a leading international transport group operating Bus, Train, Tram, express coach and Ferry operations National Express Coaches run service 538 to London. This article is about the company responsible for most long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain and the brand it uses for information on its parent company see

Rail

Hastings has four rail links, two to London, one to Brighton and one to Ashford. is linked to London by two railway lines. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. The shorter is the former South Eastern Railway (SER) route to Charing Cross via Battle and Tunbridge Wells, opened 1852, and the longer is the former London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) route to Victoria via Bexhill, Eastbourne and Lewes. For the railway in India see South Eastern Railway (India South Eastern Railway (SER was a railway company in the United Kingdom Charing Cross railway station is a central London railway terminus Battle is a small town in the Local government district of Rother in East Sussex, England, about 5 miles (8 km from Hastings The London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR (commonly known as "the Brighton line" was a Railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1923 London Victoria is a major London Underground, National Rail and Coach station in the City of Westminster. Bexhill-on-Sea (often simply Bexhill) is a town and Seaside resort in the county of East Sussex, in the south of England, within the Eastbourne ( is a large town and borough of East Sussex, on the south coast of England with an estimated population of 94816 as of 2007 Lewes (ˈluːɨs Lewis) is the County town of East Sussex, England and gives its name to the Local government district in which it Trains to Brighton also use this line. The Marshlink Line via Rye to Ashford where a connection can be made with Eurostar services. Description of route The towns on the route are listed below Ashford International Ham Street: was Ham Street & Orlestone The small town of Rye, in East Sussex, England, stands at the confluence of two rivers although in medieval times as an important member of the Cinque Ports The town of Ashford lies on the River Great Stour, M20 motorway, South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways in the borough of Ashford Eurostar is a High-speed train service in Western Europe connecting London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Paris The town currently has four railway stations: from west to east they are West St Leonards station St Leonards Warrior Square, Hastings, and Ore. West St Leonards railway station is on the main London - Tunbridge Wells - Hastings line in East Sussex, United Kingdom, and is one of four stations that St Leonards Warrior Square railway station is one of four railway stations serving Hastings in East Sussex, England Hastings railway station is in Hastings in East Sussex, England. Ore railway station serves Ore in East Sussex, England. It is on the Marshlink Line, and train services are provided by Southern West Marina station (on the LBSCR line) was very near West St Leonards (on the SER line) and was closed some years ago. St Leonards West Marina is a closed railway station in the West St Leonards area of the borough of Hastings, East Sussex. New stations have been proposed.

There have always been problems connected with the Tunbridge Wells-St Leonards section of the Charing Cross line. It was built in a hurry by the SER in an attempt to compete with the passenger traffic to Hastings of the LBSCR; and as a result corners were cut in its construction. Most of the section runs through the hilly Weald, necessitating seven tunnels. The Weald (wɪəld is the name given to a physiographic area in south-east England situated between the parallel Chalk Escarpments of the North The contractors on the line, in an attempt to keep up with a strict timetable, saved time by putting in fewer layers of bricks than were required through the tunnels: in 1862 the Wadhurst tunnel collapsed, revealing the truth. For the Melbourne grammar school campus see Melbourne Grammar School Wadhurst is a Market town in Instead of reboring the tunnels, the extra layers were laid on the inner surfaces of all seven tunnels, narrowing the bore, and thereby ensuring that specially-constructed rolling stock was required from then on; electrification of the line was also delayed for many years. ^[16]

There are two funicular railways, known locally as the West Hill and East Hill Lifts respectively. A funicular, also known as a funicular railway, incline, inclined railway, inclined plane, or cliff railway, is a type of self-contained The West Hill Cliff Railway (called locally the "West Hill Lift" is located in Hastings, East Sussex. East Hill Cliff Railway (called locally the "East Hill Lift" located in Hastings, East Sussex opened on August 10, 1902.

Paths

The Saxon Shore Way , (a long distance footpath, 163 miles (262 km) in length from Gravesend, Kent traces the Kent and Sussex coast “as it was in Roman times” to Hastings, . Coastline The Saxon Shore Way starts at Gravesend, Kent and traces the Coast as it was in Roman times (note the changed coastline Long-distance trails (or long-distance tracks paths footpaths or Greenways are the longer recreational right-of-way routes mainly through rural areas used for non-motorised Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC The National Cycle Network route NCR2 links Dover to St Austell along the south coast, and passes through Hastings. The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom. St Austell (Sen Ostell is a town in Cornwall, England, UK. St Austell has a population of 22658 (according to the 2001 census

Historical transport systems

Turnpike

Hastings became part of the Turnpike road system in 1837, when James Burton was building his new town of St Leonards. A toll road, (also known as a tollway, turnpike, pike, or toll highway, especially if it is constructed to Freeway standards James Burton (born August 21, 1939, in Minden Louisiana) is an American Guitarist. Silver Hill or Silverhill could refer to England Silverhill Hastings &mdash an area of Hastings, East Sussex The route of the road is that taken by the A21 today.

Trams

Hastings had a network of trams from 1905 to 1929. A tram, tramcar, trolley, trolley car, or streetcar is a railborne vehicle, of lighter weight and construction than a Train The trams ran as far as Bexhill, and were worked by overhead electric wires, except for the stretch along the sea-front from Bo-Peep to the Memorial, which was initially worked by the Dolter stud contact system. The Dolter system was replaced by petrol electric trams in 1914, but overhead electrification was extended to this section in 1921. Trolleybuses rather than trams were used in the section that included the very narrow High Street, and the entire tram system was replaced by trolleybuses in 1928–1929. ^[17]

Maidstone and District bought the Hastings Tramway Company in 1935, but the trolleybuses still carried the "Hastings Tramways" logo until shortly before they were replaced by diesel buses in 1959, following the failure of the "Save our trolleys" campaign.

Landmarks

The iconic landmarks, due to their being frequently used in the town's tourist publicity, are almost certainly the castle on its sandstone cliffs, and Hastings Pier. Hastings Pier is a pleasure Pier in Hastings, East Sussex, England. Little remains of the Castle apart from an arch of the chapel, some walls, and underground dungeons. The pier itself is closed due to its being considered in an unsafe condition. Violent storms during mid March 2008 have damaged the structure further.

In a similar vein, the old town of Hastings is certainly a landmark. Many of the buildings there today date from the time when the Georgians arrived here to "take the waters", although the two churches (see below) are very much older. An example of the houses is East Cliff House, designed and built between 1760 and 1762 by Edward Capell, the Shakespearean critic and official censor of plays, at a cost of £5,000. The house was constructed on the site of the old East Fort, with a gun platform that may have been adapted to form the front terrace of the building. The house was abandoned during the Second World War and, from then on, it deteriorated rapidly. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

An important former landmark was "the Memorial", a clock tower commemorating Albert the Prince Consort which stood for many years at the traffic intersection at the town centre, but was demolished following an arson attack in the 1970s. A prince consort, generally speaking is a common term for the husband of a Queen regnant, unless he himself also is a king in his own right

On the seafront at St Leonards is Marine Court a 1930s block of flats: it is said to represent an ocean liner.

Education

The school founded by Rev William Parker in 1619 and that founded by James Saunders in 1709 were eventually amalgamated to form Hastings Grammar School, which later became the William Parker Sports College. The William Parker Sports College, formerly known as Hastings Grammar School, and later as William Parker School, is a Secondary school in Hastings It is now the only all-boys secondary school in East Sussex.

Religious buildings

The most important buildings from the late medieval period are the two churches in the Old Town, St Clement's (probably built after 1377) and All Saints (early 15th century). ^[18]

The churches and other religious buildings are included on the website here^[19]

Culture

Hastings has three museums: the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery; the Old Town Hall Museum;^[20] and the Fishermen's Museum. ^[21] These are all open for the whole year. The Hastings Sea Life Centre is a popular visitor attraction, as is the Smugglers' Adventure in St Clement's Caves.

There are two places providing a theatrical venue: the White Rock Theatre the town's multipurpose venue; and the Stables Theatre, which shows mainly local productions and acts as an arts exhibition centre. White Rock Theatre is a medium-scale receiving house venue owned by Live Nation situated on the seafront of Hastings, a town on the south coast of England Among other uses to which the main theatre is put is to host the annual Hastings Music Festival. There is a small Odeon cinema in Hastings, however there are plans to renovate an area known as the 'Priory Quarter' in the town centre; plans include large office spaces, retail units and a new large multi screen cinema. Odeon Cinemas is the largest chain of cinemas in Europe It is owned by Terra Firma Capital Partners. The town has its own independent cinema. ^[22]

The Hastings International Chess Congress^[23] which started in 1882 attracts international players to Hastings. The Hastings Writers' Group claims to be one of the oldest in the country: it was established in 1947. Hastings Writers' Group is an organisation for published and aspiring writers based in Hastings, East Sussex. ^[24]

Hastings has long been known as a retreat for artists and painters. For example, the pre-Raphaelite painters including Dante Gabriel Rossetti (who married here in Hastings) and William Holman Hunt admired the town for its light and clear air. Dante Gabriel Rossetti (12 May 1828 – 9 April 1882 was an English poet Illustrator, painter and Translator. William Holman Hunt (b 2 April 1827 in Cheapside, London &ndash d

Visitor attractions

The town has its fair share of "visitor attractions". These are mostly clustered around the Fishmarket, near the dropping-off place for the coaches, and include a miniature railway, fairground rides and amusement arcades; there are also many refreshment places in this area of the town. A ridable miniature railway (USA 'riding railroad' or ' grand scale railroad' is a ground-level large scale model railway that hauls passengers using Locomotives The nearby cliff railways take visitors further afield: to the Caves; and to Hastings Country Park, an area of 2. Hastings Country Park was formed in 1974 and covers east of Hastings in England. 67 km² (6. 9 miles²) of lightly wooded and open land extending from Hastings approximately 3 miles (5 km) along the cliff tops to Fairlight. Fairlight is a digital audio company based in Sydney Australia.

There is also a yearly carnival, and Old Town Week during August, a beer festival in Alexandra Park, and a Seafood and Wine Festival in the Old Town. Hastings Old Town Week is an annual summer event celebrated in the Old Town of Hastings, East Sussex. Hastings Beer and Music Festival is a four-day event formerly three which takes place in Alexandra Park Hastings. During Hastings week held each year around 14 October the Hastings Bonfire Society^[25] stages a torchlight procession through the streets, with a beach bonfire and spectacular firework display. Events 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill seven miles from Hastings, the forces In 2007 the World Crazy Golf Championship was held at the Adventure Crazy Golf Course.

Sport

There are many organisations and venues catering for the sports enthusiast,^[26] including angling, golf, lawn tennis, riding, rowing and swimming. The Summerfields Leisure Centre^[27] provides the largest venue. Another family pool (although outside the borough) with wave machine and water slide is situated at Glyne Gap, on the coast mid-way between Bexhill and Hastings.

The Hastings Half Marathon is becoming well-known around the country, being voted the best race of its kind three years running, and has become known as the unofficial "Great South Run". The Hastings Half Marathon is a Road running event that takes place every March around the streets of Hastings. With numbers increasing every year, in 2007 the race had around 4,500 entries.

As for team sports, Hastings is home to one senior football club, Hastings United, who play in the Isthmian League Premier Division and use The Pilot Field as their home ground. Hastings United FC are a semi-professional English football club who currently play in the Isthmian League Premier Division. History The league was founded in 1905 and was strongly dedicated to Amateurism. Member clubs 2008&ndash09 Champions Here is a complete list of Isthmian League top division champions throughout the leagues history The Pilot Field is home to Hastings United, who play in the Isthmian League Isthmian League Premier Division It has a capacity of 4050 and has There are also many other football clubs in Hastings that play in the East Sussex Football League, such as Hollington United and Hastings Rangers. The East Sussex Football League is a football competition based in England. The town's premier cricket venue is now Horntye Park Sports Complex, home of Hastings Priory. Horntye Park Sports Complex is a Sports complex and Conference centre in Hastings, East Sussex, England. The previous venue, where Priory Meadow Shopping Centre now stands, saw the final game played in 1989. Priory Meadow Shopping Centre is a shopping centre in Hastings, East Sussex, England.

Hastings is home to two major rugby clubs, Hastings & Bexhill R. F. C and Cinque Ports Rugby Club. Cinque Ports Rugby Football Club is an English community Rugby union club who will play in the Sussex rugby leagues in the 2007/2008 Season Hastings & Bexhill play their home matches at William Parker Sports College and play in Division Four of the London Rugby Union League. The William Parker Sports College, formerly known as Hastings Grammar School, and later as William Parker School, is a Secondary school in Hastings Cinque Ports play in the Sussex Rugby Union League and play at The Grove School. Hastings' main hockey club is South Saxons, who play and train on the town's only AstroTurf surface at Horntye Park Sports Complex. AstroTurf is a brand of Artificial turf. Though the term is a Registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind Horntye Park Sports Complex is a Sports complex and Conference centre in Hastings, East Sussex, England. The AstroTurf is also used for other sports such as football.

One of the athletics clubs in the Hastings & Rother Area is Hastings Athletics Club: it uses the running track at William Parker Sports College, the only running track in the area. The William Parker Sports College, formerly known as Hastings Grammar School, and later as William Parker School, is a Secondary school in Hastings A very popular sport in the town is bowls: there are plenty of greens in the town. The Hastings Open Bowls Tournament has been held annually in June since 1911 and attracts many entrants country-wide. ^[28]

Noted residents

Main article: List of people from Hastings

Hastings in film and television

• Foyle's War. Hastings is a town and borough in East Sussex, England. The following is a list of those people who were either born or live in Hastings or had some important contribution Foyle's War is a British detective Television programme created by screen-writer and author Anthony Horowitz, and commissioned See also here (TV, 2002 onwards). Also here.
• When I was 12 (2001)
• Some Voices (2000)
• Grey Owl (1999)
• I Want You (1998)

External links

• Hastings at the Open Directory Project
• Hastings Borough Council official website
• Hastings and 1066 Country tourist information

References

Notes

Bibliography

Coordinates: 50°51′35″N 0°34′20″E / 50.85971044158446, 0.5723190307617187

A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system.

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