In the 19th century Hastings became one of England’s most popular spa resorts. Hastings is a mix of fishing port and unpretentious resort. Fishermen winch their boats onto the shingle beach below tall black sheds called deezes, where their nets are stored. Behind, weatherboard houses on narrow alleys characterize the old town. A Victorian funicular railway takes you up to fragmentary ruins of a massive castle built by William, where the events of the Norman invasion unfold in a fake siege tent in The Story of 1066. The animated figures of the Smugglers' Adventure, set in caves once used for storing contraband, are also entertaining. The adjoining Regency resort of St. Leonards is a must for those with a fondness for backstreet antique shops.
Tall Victorian row houses painted in lemony hues still cover the cliffs around the deep blue sea, and the views from the hilltops are extraordinary. The Old Town, on the east side of the city, offers a glimpse into the city’s 16th-century past. Hastings has been through difficult times in recent decades, and the town developed a reputation as a rough place. It’s handsome, if tattered, and the seafront has all the usual English accoutrements—fish-and-chips stands, candy stores, shops selling junk, miniature golf, and rocky beaches that stretch for miles.
Received from Thomas Goatherd
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