Hastings Old Town
For some time we have said `Lets go to Hastings`, but never managed to go. So, four nights in an apartment at the Old Town end of Hastings was eagerly anticipated. With a chance to visit Battle thrown in. The journey down was reasonable in as much as traffic was light and the weather good. However, Hastings on a friday was jam packed with traffic and people. We began to wonder if we had arrived during some huge festive event. But no, the end of the holidays and a last fling appeared to be the reason.
We found our apartment which was over a Fishing tackle shop, and next to what was an ancient Courthouse (Below). You can just glimpse out apartment on the right of this image. Unfortunately, the place was large, but very dated and dirty. Needless to say we ate out at every opportunity! The whole area seemed to be one large eating area of every type of cuisine possible!
The Old Court House, The Bourne, Hastings
East Hill Lift
Built some ten years later than its sister on the West Hill, the East Hill Lift was designed by P.H. Palmer (Borough Engineer) and carries passengers up the cliff to the picturesque glens. The lift was built in 1901-02 and was first opened in April 1902.
The East Hill Lift is the steepest funicular railway in the country with an angle of 38 degrees (1 in 2.8 gradient).
Now for the technical bit! - A funicular is one of the modes of transportation which uses a cable traction for movement on steep inclined slopes.
A funicular railway employs a pair of passenger vehicles which are pulled on a slope by the same cable which loops over a pulley wheel at the upper end of a track. The vehicles are permanently attached to the ends of the cable and counterbalance each other. They move synchronously: while one vehicle is ascending, the other one is descending the track. These particularities distinguish funiculars from other types of cable railways. For example, a funicular is distinguished from an inclined elevator by the presence of two vehicles which counterbalance each other.
The power for the system was originally supplied by a water balance device with each car having a 600 gallon water tank underneath that was filled with water at the top and emptied at the bottom.The original Victorian cars are still in use today but were converted to an electric motor system in 1974. But today, it's broken! What a shame, as I would love to have tried it out.
Hasting is a busy fishing port, as evident when you stroll the beach at the Rock-A-Nore end of the town. What a strange name you may think. Its a name officially adopted in 1859 and deriving from a former building "lyinge to the Mayne Rock against the north"
Net Huts
The prominent net huts on the beach in Hastings Old Town are made of clinker weather boarding and stand an average of 25 feet high. Style of the structures is possibly early 17th Century and the unique wooden buildings were originally used as workshops and storage for nets, sails and ropes.
In 1934 the Borough Council restricted the area allowed for each net hut to eight square feet because of the limited space between the cliffs and the sea. To overcome this problem the fishermen built their equipment stores upwards to maximise the allowed space and constructed three stories, one above the other.
About 45 of these unique structures can still be seen today and they are considered one of Hastings most famous and internationally known landmarks. Many more were originally built but have been destroyed by strong seas during the past 150 years. The council also demolished some during the 1950's to clear the beach area for development.
With the advent of nylon nets there was less need for workshops and the buildings main use became storage. The remaining net huts are still used for this purpose today and are regularly maintained to withstand the elements.
The 6ft (1.8m) tall winkle sculpture
In the year 1900 a small band of enthusiasts came together with the main idea of helping others less fortunate than themselves. During the many years they created this unique organisation which has been of such inestimable value to the town and makes all who have come into the club proud to be members.
The Winkle Club is an internationally famous charitable organisation formed by Hastings fishermen to help the less fortunate families of Hastings Old Town. The club’s headquarters, located at East Hastings Sea Angling Association The Stade, Rock-A-Nore Road, Hastings Old Town TN34 3FJ apart from some specially selected local residents,
Winkle Club members have included a few very illustrious personalities such as Lord Montgomery, Sir Winston Churchill, the Duke of Windsor and many others.
Each Winkle Club Member (or ‘Winkler’) carries a winkle shell which they must produce when challenged to ‘Winkle Up’. Failure to do so results in a fine which goes towards local charities.
Pulpit Gate
Pulpit Gate in All Saints' Street is part of Hastings Old Town. There used to be a shop here at the bottom of the road which was a hairdressers and general store until it was decided to remove the premises in the early 1930’s in the Old Town redevelopment scheme, and replace it with a replica building know as ‘Pulpit Gate’. This building was built from old ships timbers imported from places such as Newhaven, Rye and Hastings, also other places that built ships too. People are under the impression that this building dates from the 17th century, (well the timbers might!) but was built around 1956/7. It looks the part and fooled me!
St Clements Church, Hastings Old Town
While I didn't visit this one, which was not far from our accommodation it apparently has a chequered history. The site in the north east part of the Old Town was acquired in 1286 after an earlier church had been destroyed by the sea. The replacement was destroyed in the French raid of 1377 and nothing of it remains. So the current one (number 3) was built in the early C15.
The coastline along the Sussex coast is in a constant state of erosion. With the constant erosion and cliff falls, it is a battle to decide where to spend money protecting the coast. It is sobering to realise that Hastings Castle was at one point much further back from the sea, parts of its ruins have crumbled down the beautiful but unstable cliffs.
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