In the year 915 the town was known as Haestingaceaster (Roman settlement of the family/followers of Haesta) – Haesta was a Jute (Dane) who settled there in the 5th century, although the site has been occupied since prehistoric times.

www.1066country.com Hastings visitors website
www.wildhastings.org.uk Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve

Hastings
View from West Hill

Hastings
View from East Hill

Hastings
Net huts in Rock-A-Nore Road in the old town. They were built when nets had to be dried to prevent rotting, but nowadays the nets are nylon and can be left out, so the huts are used for other storage. They are tall because of the limited space at the head of this beach in Victorian times when they were built and also to avoid paying excess ground tax.. At this east end of the town there is a large seafront car park, a sea life centre and a fishermen's museum. See item below re net-shed-type bird-boxes using recycled wood.

Hastings

Hastings
East Hill funicular lift, the steepest in the UK.

Hastings
East Hill funicular lift (there is another at West Hill), undergoing refurbishment in 2009-2010.

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Hastings
Bonfire beacon on East Hill. This is lit each October by the Hastings Borough Bonfire Society, as part of their torchlit procession around the town, with firework displays www.hbbs.info

Hastings
Sandstone and mudstone cliffs of East Hill, rich in fossils from 140 million years ago.

Hastings
Pelham beach in summer. The concrete structure in the distance is the remains of a harbour arm. The first attempt at building this took place in the 16th century but storms destroyed the foundations. Another effort was made in 1896 to build a harbour for the town but it remained uncompleted – not enough money and too many storms. The remains of it were partially blown up in the Second World War to prevent any invading ships from using it. Hastings' fishing boats are all launched from the beach.

Hastings
East beach in winter. The winter storms attack the cliffs, producing occasional rockfalls and a new crop of fossils for the hunters. Geological info and advice on safety from www.hastingsfossils.co.uk

Hastings
West Street in the old town with book/antique shops and cafés. Modern central Hastings is exactly as you would guess, good shopping but no photo needed.

Hastings
Looking towards West Hill

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Hastings
Beaches at the east end are entirely stony

Hastings
Nearer the pier and west, flat sand shows at low tide, with plenty of room for everyone. The pier is now closed due to concerns over its safety, and is the subject of a campaign by the Hastings Pier and White Rock Trust to have it purchased and restored for the community. The cost of demolition is estimated to be £4 million, money which the Trust argue would be better spent on refurbishment, and hopefully bringing the pier to a state where it becomes self-funding. What a great shame it would be to lose this part of our great British seaside heritage – read more on the Trust's website www.hpwrt.co.uk. Many other of our piers are in need of rescue, see www.piers.co.uk National Piers Society.

Hastings
Looking west from the pier

Hastings
Bedding is in the customary seaside style, and crumb cleanup carried out by the usual eager volunteers.

If you miss the seagulls when you return home, you can buy a quieter wooden version from The Hastings and Bexhill Wood Recycling Project, as well as bird-boxes resembling the Hastings net sheds, and garden items/furniture.  See their website www.recyclingwood.org.uk which also describes their project to stock St Leonard's Gardens with bird/wildlife nesting boxes, and other environmental initiatives.

"The Hastings & Bexhill Wood Recycling Project is a social enterprise dedicated to keeping wood out of landfill and providing training for local unemployed people."

All the traditional British seaside sights:
Hastings
Seafood and refreshments. Non-UK visitors need to know that seafood "Rock" or "Rock salmon" is huss (spiny dogfish, a type of small shark). Sweet shop "Rock" is hard sugar/candy, pure entertainment and dentists' delight/displeasure (depending on your dentist). It will leave you in no doubt as to the security of your dental fillings.

Hastings
Sweet shops and souvenirs. In the second photo, you can just see the triangular "Beware falling rocks" sign to the left of the lamppost. There are giant steel mesh nets along the East Hill cliff base to catch and secure the debris.

Hastings
Beach gear, funfair, arcades and seafront shelter. Hastings has successfully retained its interesting character and architecture, while providing all the expected seaside entertainments.

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