Days out in the Borders : Hastings

Sunday 31 March 2019

Hastings

Ye Olde Pumphouse, Hastings Old Town

Hastings is a seaside town and fishing port in East Sussex a few miles from Bexhill-on Sea. The town was one of the medieval cinque ports and in the 19th centre became a poplar seaside resort. Today the town is still popular with holiday makers and day-trippers. On a hill above the town centre stands the few remains of Hastings castle and overlooking the Old Town and the fishing boats is the scenic Hastings Country Park.

History
Hastings was originally known as Hastingas and evidence of Bronze Age and Iron Age settlements have been found on both East Hill and West Hill. The Romans began to exploit the iron found in the rocks and shipped it out by boat. The mine at "Beauport Park" was the third largest mine in the Roman Empire. In 771 AD King Offa of Mercia invaded Southern England and gained control of Hastings. After the Norman Conquest a new town developed in the valley and a castle was built on the hill.

During the Middle Ages Hastings became one of the Cinque Ports. In the 13th and 14th centuries the town suffered greatly. In 1287 half of the castle and much of the town was washed way in the South England Flood and in 1339 and again in 1377 the town was attacked and raided by the French. The town fell into decline and ceased to be a port. Smuggling became popular until after the Napoleonic Wars when the town began to proper and grow becoming one of the most fashionable resorts in Britain. Development took pace to the west of the Old Town and slowly the new town grew and expanded linking with nearby St Leonards-on-Sea.

During the Victorian era the arrival of the railway and the growth in seaside holidays saw an increase in the population of the town. In the 1930's the town underwent rejuvenation when the promenade and a large swimming pool was built. Today Hastings remain a popular seaside destination with many events such as "Jack in the Green" and "Hastings Old Town Week" attracting many visitors.