(Mostly Good) News about Empty Buildings + Roadworks

The once gracious Post Office in the town centre, and the much newer University of Brighton building adjacent/behind it, are to become 41 flats and 667 square metres of commercial floorspace (The Argus). Very glad to see the old Post Office building will be refurbished, but sad that the University of Brighton couldn't find enough students for its Hastings campus. Oh yes, and where will the new inhabitants find to park vehicles?

And things are moving for business around Hastings Castle and St Mary in the Castle, 10 years ago our glittering 'Jewel in the Crown' (blog), but sadly not for the church itself at the moment. The management of Hastings Castle and the adjacent cafe by the top of West Hill lift, is now to be run by Troika Projects (HBC website), and the shopping arcade, design based on Burlington Arcade, is to become a food hall with 7 different ethnic food restaurant booths (Sussex World); Indian, Italian, Turkish, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

Now I do realise that there are roadworks in other parts of town, and my thoughts go out to the drivers, and pedestrians, who have to put up with them. But nearest to where I live are these roadworks by The Carlisle at the seafront, and where they go on and on, no joke...

14th of October is Hastings Day!

Happy (?) Hastings Day, the 958th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, which by chance was held a few miles inland at a place called Battle, although that is disputed by some. Anyway, the fun kicked off on Saturday with the annual Bonfire Procession, Bonfire and Fireworks (blog), and events continue throughout this week; go to the website for full information.

The photographs I have used in this blog are from a blog I wrote nearly 9 years ago about Hastings Castle, seemed appropriate, enjoy!

Hastings Castle Survey - 1 Day Left

A survey is online to find out our opinions on how Hastings Castle may be transformed through Hastings Town Deal programme, go to the website if you're interested, but only 1 day left! My apologies, but I've only just seen this myself. Below I've cut & pasted details of this project, and my older blog about the Castle for photographs and history of Hastings Castle, the first stone built Norman castle in Britain...

'Hastings Castle is the only direct link the town has with the battle in 1066 that made us famous around the world.

Although it dominates the seafront and town centre on top of the West Hill, it offers a poor visitor experience, attracting only around 30,000 visitors a year before the pandemic struck. Hastings Castle, the first Norman-built castle in the country, deserves to be a major visitor attraction, it has an amazing story to tell.

We want to improve access to the castle by making the West Hill Lift accessible, provide a new connection between Ladies Parlour and the castle itself and make the visitor experience far better. We also want to make the castle much more educational, of interest to local and visiting students.

As the project is still in its very early stages, we are very interested in hearing people’s views on the kind of development they’d like at the castle, what they’d like to see in the castle and the kind of information provided to visitors.'

Just a Reminder about the Old Town Guided Walks on Tuesdays

This is just a reminder, and mostly a repeat of my previous blog about these walks returning, but the Old Hastings Preservation Society (OHPS) Tuesday afternoon guided walks of Hastings Old Town continue on Tuesday the 10th of May (website). These are guided walks of the old town, of the "premier ancient Cinque Port." You are asked to book your place in advance, cost £6 per person, either on their website, or pop into Hastings Fishermen's Museum, call 01424 461446, or email ohpswalks@gmail.com.

You meet up by the West Hill Cafe (just above the lift by Hastings Castle, with its lower lift entrance at the west end of George Street) at 2.30pm on Tuesday, then every Tuesday until the 27th of September, plus a few other days too. There's a wealth of historic buildings, twittens and cat-creeps to explore in Hastings old town, and the volunteer guide will explain why celebrities of their day (for example, the Pre-Raphaelites in the 19th century, see blog) have, indeed, and still do, flock to Hastings. 

The walk will proceed gently downhill, including a number of steps to manage, and lasts about 2 hours. It's worth wearing comfortable walking shoes, obviously, and the weather forecast suggests it will be fine on Tuesday (Met Office).

Enjoy the day, and/or any future walks!

What a weekend/week to come!

This weekend sees another Tap Takeover at 17 venues in Hastings, and some excellent breweries involved, not to mention 17 great pubs/bars to visit too, for details go to this website and enjoy drinking quality ales across Hastings, cheers m'dears!

And, as we approach the anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, that is the 14th of October (1066, by the way 😉), Hastings Week returns too, from the 9th to the 17th October 2021, a long week indeed; for details of events go to the website. 

Gradually getting back to normal, fingers crossed, stay safe! 

Missing Snow in Hastings? A Few Photographs...

Cricketer at Priory Meadow

Whilst much of the country has had snow today it's rained here, but dry mostly, indeed we haven't had proper snowfall for a while, so here's some images not taken today. Maybe not to everyone's liking, snow, but I love it, enjoy the images if you do too! 

Adventure Golf & West Hill

Fishing Beach & East Hill

Beach Huts and Pier

Be safe folks, and wrap up well! 😉

Christmas Day Walk Photos & Another Bakers Shop!

Not much chatting for me today, but it was glorious yesterday, if a bit chilly, so I wandered out to St Leonards along the seafront, and Beachy Head waaay over there!

I turned around at Marina Court and headed to the Old Town and one of my favourite views down Rock-a-Nore Road, I nearly added a photograph of the Stacey Marie, but, despite repainting it very recently she's not among today's photographs. 

A lovely 'blue sky' image of the Lifeboat Station with the East Hill in the background.

OK, I own up that I'm a bit late, apparently it reopened as a baker's shop a few weeks ago, but the Old Customs House is now an outlet for Frankonia (website). I'm assured by my mate Frank that it's nothing to do with him, but he also assured me that there are good bakers shops in St Leonards too, but I only noticed the Customs House had become a bakers shop a couple of days ago, and didn't know about St Leonards bakers. Sorry, but I just don't eat much bread and patisseries, so can't really review bakers, but there's another one in the Old Town now! 😉

And on my way home I had to take a photograph looking up at the West Hill, with St Mary in the Castle and Pelham Crescent sitting below the ruins of Hastings Castle. 

Happy St Stephen's Day!

Hastings Castle, a few days left...

Hastings Castle will be closing for the winter after this weekend, and the Smugglers Adventure from the weekend after (website), so hurry up if you want to visit either! If you'd like to know a little more about the oldest Norman castle in Britain I have written a blog about it with plenty of photographs of the castle and views from the castle, enjoy!

A weekend wander East and West...

I ensured I got out early, before it became too warm, but we do have a few steep hills in Hastings, notably these 2, and it wasn't chilly at all! As I live in the centre of town I began by walking up the West Hill, first of all to take this photograph from outside Hastings Castle (images within are included in my older blog).

Taken of the 'old town' looking down from the West Hill, most will already be well aware that the 'old town' is actually the Norman New Hastings. This became the new centre following the great storms of the 13th century, which altered the local coastline, depositing a vast bank of shingle which helped to create the America Ground at the west of the new town centre, and filled in the old harbour over which the castle stood, got that? Maybe it's better explained in an older blog about the America Ground.

I then headed down to the 'old town' and passed one of our two Norman churches on the corner of the High Street and opposite Swan Terrace, St Clement Church (blog).

I then crossed The Bourne, now a road, but once a river running through the centre of the old town, and part of local drains I do believe. I walked up to and along Tackleway to above All Saints Church, the other Norman church, where I took this photograph (more about this church, and photographs inside and out, on this older blog).

I then walked up the East Hill, from where I took this photograph looking down into the 'old town' and across to the West Hill. Oh yes, by the way, there are iron age forts at the top of both hills too!

Before I had an early drink at the Dolphin Inn, and then visited the Sussex Street Food Festival on the Stade Open Space (blog), and then had a drink at the Jolly Fisherman (I was thirsty!), I wandered down the steps that start by the top of the East Hill Lift, and down to Tackleway, and then turned left down to Rock-a-Nore Road.

The America Ground

I noticed the image above on the Hastings and Area, Past and Present facebook page today, which is the anniversary of a great storm (4th February 1287) that not only helped to alter the coastline of South East England with many coastal towns, like Rye, becoming landlocked, but also damaged the West Hill cliff with much of Hastings Castle falling into the sea. But, of course, earlier storms that century had also helped to create, what was to become, The America Ground in Hastings, and I noticed that, despite referring to The America Ground quite a few times, I have never written about why it is called "The America Ground" or its history, so here goes, briefly...

The great storms of the 13th century deposited a vast bank of shingle to the west of Hastings Harbour, beginning the end to the harbour in central Hastings (over which the Castle had towered), this area became new land which people quickly moved on to, living and working there. By the 1820s The America Ground was inhabited by over 1,000 people, rent, tax and rates free as no-one owned the land. Hastings Council tried to tax the residents living there, who subsequently rebelled, raising the flag of the USA and declaring the area an American State! However, this wasn't tolerated for long by the authorities and, in December 1827, the Crown claimed legal ownership (1066 online).

The America Ground is now covered by the triangle that is Robertson Street, Trinity Street and Claremont, and towards the sea, including Robertson Passage. Every year now, July the 4th is celebrated here, so watch out for special events coming up in July, including Independents Day, and enjoy the revolutionary spirit!

UNESCO Bid for Hastings

A cross-party initiative to make a bid for Hastings to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site (facebook) is being discussed this evening (Tuesday 15th January 2019) at Hastings Voluntary Action, Jackson Hall, Portland Place TN34 1QN, starting from 18.30 to 19.00 hours. The meeting is being hosted by Hastings Green Party and will discuss this proposal by looking at 3 areas, the underlying geology of Hastings Country Park, the first Norman Castle to be built in Britain on the West Hill, and the history of sea bathing in Hastings since the 18th century.

Hastings Castle closing for the Winter this coming week.

You only have a few more days in which to visit Hastings Castle before it closes for the winter (website); as from the 1st of November it will be closed until it reopens on the 16th of February 2019, if you've never visited see my blog from 3 years ago. 

Hastings Halloween!

OK, it may seem a little early, but there are already Halloween events happening in Hastings, including a special Halloween Quiz Night tonight at the Dolphin Inn, Rock-a-Nore Road (website). The Dolphin's Quiz Night is held every Thursday, starts at 8.30pm, has cash prizes, and is free to enter!

Already on up on the West Hill at Smugglers Adventure is a Ghostly Quiz Trail and at Hastings Castle there's Halloween Fun (website), and there's Halloween Fun at the Blue Reef Aquarium too (website), in Rock-a-Nore Road! If you know of other Halloween events please feel free to add a comment, and Visit 1066 Country suggests quite a few alternative Halloween events as well (website).

Don't be too scared, just be very wary... 



Easter Bank Holiday Weekend 2018

It's a public/bank holiday, and it's Friday! But what's on over this 4 day long weekend? Well, quite a bit guided towards children, but then there's always a child still in all of us, there is in me anyway... Hastings Museum & Art Gallery (website) in John's Place, up Bohemia Road and on the right, isn't open on Monday (as usual), but it is open Friday and Saturday 10.00 to 4pm, and on Sunday 12.00 to 5pm. In addition to the exhibits there all the time, and special exhibitions, from today until the 15th of April there is a, free to enter, Easter Egg Hunt, search the museum for clues, solve a puzzle, and if successful win a chocolate treat!

If you want to work off a few pounds, or just maintain a decent level of fitness, or just want to volunteer to help, every Saturday morning, starting at 9am, is the Hastings 5km Park Run (website), for anyone, young or not so young, a runner or a slow jogger, this is for fun, and good fitness-wise too. It begins at Seaside Road by Grosvenor Gardens, along the seafront to about 50 metres east of the Pier, and back again. It may not be quite as sunny as in this image (above) on their website, but you never know; if you want to be timed, you need to register before your first ever Park Run, then run!

If you'd like to explore Hastings fishing quarter, not so energetic, but the guided Stade Guided Walk returns this Saturday and Sunday (website), organised by the Old Hastings Preservation Society (OHPS). Meet up at 11am both days, outside Hastings Fishermen's Museum in Rock-a-Nore Road (inside if raining) ready to explore the net huts, fishing industry and beach, and learn the history of this hundreds of years old industry for up to about 90 minutes. You are advised to wear suitable footwear, and clothing if the weather is inclement, and if you have any special mobility needs please contact the Fishermen's Museum in advance. This is a free guided walk, given by a volunteer, the museum is a charity, and the OHPS would appreciate any donations to help its upkeep, and to help maintain its all-year opening, many thanks!

Whilst you're at Hastings Fishermen's Museum (website), you would also be advised to have a tour inside this wonderful building, it's a delight. Open since 1956, the museum is situated in the former Fishermen's Church of St Nicholas, a mission chapel serving the local fishing community since 1854 until it was requisitioned during World War II. The Grade II listed building and museum are managed by the OHPS who rescued the building, now leasing it from Hastings Borough Council. Inside are many excellent exhibits, including the sailing lugger, the Enterprise (above), an audio visual presentation and great gifts to peruse. Outside, net huts and fishing boats are on show from as far back in the road as RX134, The Stacey Marie (blog and facebook page) just before the Fish Market, a good 70 to 80 metres before you reach the museum!

Just beyond the Fishermen's Museum is the Shipwreck Museum (website), also with free admission, and a charitable museum of the Nautical Museums Trust Charity, exhibiting many artefacts from ships wrecked in the English Channel, and locally found fossils. Just after, and on the same side of the road, is the Blue Reef Aquarium (website), which from today, and for the Easter school holidays, is running an Easter Trail: find the easter eggs hidden around the aquarium, and unscramble the letters found to find a 'magic word' and take part in colouring and the 'maze activity sheet.'

On the other side of the Stade, by the beach, offers the chance to visit the Hastings RNLI Lifeboat Station and their Visitors Centre (website). As you can see above, tomorrow (Saturday) there will also be special Easter 'fun' meeting the Easter Bunny, entertainment including the Shanty Singers, refreshments and cakes, a tombola and a raffle, and a chocolate egg for "every child wearing an Easter Bonnet!" Though that may upset a few wee lads without bonnets. 😉

Also tomorrow (Saturday), up at Hastings Castle (blog) on the West Hill, they are holding an hour-long Easter Egg Hunt for the third consecutive year, from 10-11am, where hundreds of chocolate easter eggs will be hidden around the grounds for children to find; there will be a dedicated time slot for under 5s. See their facebook event page for details of cost etc, and people are advised to wear sensible shoes.

OK, there will be fun to be had in many other areas, parks, and along the seafront not to mention for adults in bars and restaurants, but I'm finishing this blog at Hastings Pier (website). As we've now come to expect, there won't just be the regular facilities, and special events like Automata on the Pier, but Easter events too, including aPIERtite, an Easter Street Food Festival today and tomorrow, 11am to 8pm both days. APIERtite will include food, drinks, music and entertainment for all ages (website), plus the Pier itself will be organising Easter Family Fun, with Easter 'crafts' including making a "mini moving chick in an egg to take away."

Enjoy the 4 day weekend, and, if you're working in the service sectors, including the NHS, Fire & Rescue, Police, Coastguard and Hastings Lifeboat, many thanks, respect!

Walking along the Seafront, Where's the Snow?

What a difference a day or two makes, another walk along the seafront yesterday, but the snow has mostly disappeared since Friday; see my blog from earlier in the week if you haven't already got bored with photographs of snow! Me, standing on Hastings Pier and looking eastwards, obviously... 😉

Flags on the Pier: Top Left, William the Conqueror (familiarly known at the time as William the Bastard); Bottom Left, Harold Godwinson (runner up at Battle of Hastings); Bottom Right, the Sussex Flag (Martlets); Top Right, the Welsh Flag which was raised on 1st March (St David's Day) to replace the flag of Harald Hardrada, who was runner up, and died, at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Many thanks to Peter Wheeler and Steve Wilkins for explaining the significance of the flags, cheers!

Beach Huts & Pier

I've missed this for ages, and only found it yesterday, this 'montage' when I walked around to the sea side, and back of, the newer refreshment kiosk on the Upper Promenade between the Pier and Warrior Square, gulls, venues and local musicians, notably Liane Carroll can be seen through the 'window' of the Jenny Lind!

Palace Court

Looking up at the West Hill and the first stone castle built by the Normans in Britain, Hastings Castle (previous blog), with the wonderful, nearly 200 years old, St Mary in the Castle (previous blog, and the lease has since been passed to the Trust) and Pelham Crescent below.

Looking across at the Fishermen's Beach, with the East Hill and Hastings Country Park Local Nature Reserve in the background (website).

Walking through to Rock-a-Nore Road and I couldn't miss taking another photograph of this, very often photographed, retired fishing boat, RX134 Stacie Marie (see blog); seriously, I've seen her photographed and filmed too many times to mention!

So, what do you do next, well, I was thirsty, so popped I into the Cinque Ports Arms in All Saints Street (facebook page), civil discourse, ale and a great value sandwich!

This Weekend, AND Hastings Week Commences!

So, Hastings Week starts tomorrow (website and facebook page), with the Opening Ceremony from 3pm up at Hastings Castle, with free entry to the castle from 2.30pm, there's a treat! Of course, there will be other events going on before that time, for example, in conjunction with Stade Saturdays on the Stade Open Space will be a Classic Cars & Motorcycles Show from 10am to 3pm, which continues on Sunday, and much more; go to website for further details of events, exhibitions, guided walks...

Of course, much more happening and places to visit, as ever, Hastings Fishermen's Museum, the Aquarium, Lifeboat Station, Parks and Gardens, Miniature Railways, Music Month continues (today as well, see website) and, amongst other things, there will be the Retrobella Vintage & Retro Indoor Market on the Pier both days (website).