67-609: The Hastings & St. Leonards Observer , commonly known as just the Hastings Observer , is an English weekly tabloid newspaper, published every Friday since 1859 in Hastings , East Sussex . First published in 1859, The Observer is the town's only weekly newspaper. Nowadays, the paper is edited and created by Sussex Newspapers, and printed by Johnston Press at their headquarters in Hilsea , Portsmouth . Prior to this,
134-713: A battle fought at an unidentified location near Hastings in 771, at which Offa defeated the Haestingas tribe , effectively ending its existence as a separate kingdom. By 790, Offa controlled Hastings effectively enough to confirm grants of land in Hastings to the Abbey of St Denis, in Paris. But, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for 1011 relates that Vikings overran "all Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Haestingas", indicating
201-533: A charter of Elizabeth I in 1589, the bailiff was replaced by a mayor. Muslim scholar Muhammad al-Idrisi , writing c.1153, described Hastings as "a town of large extent and many inhabitants, flourishing and handsome, having markets, workpeople and rich merchants". By the end of the Saxon period, the port of Hastings had moved eastward near the present town centre in the Priory Stream valley, whose entrance
268-478: A holiday camp before closing in 1986. It was demolished, but the area is still known by locals as "the Old Bathing Pool". The 2021 census reported 91,497 inhabitants. Hastings returned two Members of Parliament (MPs) from the 14th century until 1885, since when it has returned one. Since 1983, it has been part of the parliamentary constituency of Hastings and Rye ; the current MP, since July 2024 ,
335-662: A separate people to the South Saxons; however, there is no archaeological evidence for occupation by Anglo-Saxons in that area of Sussex between the 5th and 8th centuries. Medieval sources and place name evidence suggest that people had begun living there by the late 8th century. Some of the Saxon charters that date from the Kingdom of Sussex provide evidence which suggests the existence of two separate dynasties in Sussex. The charters of King Northelm (or Nunna), who ruled Sussex in
402-423: A sheltered harbour. Attempts were made to build a stone harbour during the reign of Elizabeth I , but the sea destroyed the foundations in terrible storms. The fishing boats are still stored on and launched from the beach. Hastings was then just a small fishing settlement, but it was soon discovered that the new taxes on luxury goods could be avoided by smuggling; the town was ideally located for that purpose. Near
469-420: A shingle spit created by the great storm of 1287, was declared to be Crown Property after an inquiry held at Battle during 1827 and the land was cleared in preparation for the development of this area of land by Patrick Francis Robertson . Like many coastal towns, the population of Hastings grew significantly as a result of the construction of railway links and the fashionable growth of seaside holidays during
536-594: Is Helena Dollimore of the Labour and Co-operative Party . Prior to 1983, the town formed the Hastings parliamentary constituency by itself. Hastings, it is thought, was a Saxon town before the arrival of the Normans: the Domesday Book refers to a new Borough : as a borough, Hastings had a corporation consisting of a "bailiff, jurats, and commonalty". Its importance was such that it also gave its name to one of
603-399: Is " Cfb " (Marine West Coast Climate/ Oceanic climate ). Some of the areas and suburbs of Hastings are Ore , St Leonards , Silverhill , West St Leonards , and Hollington . Ore, Silverhill and Hollington were once villages that have since become part of the Hastings conurbation area during rapid growth. The original part of St Leonards was bought by James Burton and laid out by his son,
670-516: Is another site of biological interest, with alluvial meadows, and the largest reed bed in the county, providing habitat for breeding birds. It is in the West St Leonards ward, stretching into the parish of Crowhurst . The final SSSI, Hastings Cliffs to Pett Beach, is within the Ore ward of Hastings, extending into the neighbouring Fairlight and Pett parishes. The site runs along the coast and
737-569: Is found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle entry for 1050, and may be an alternative name for Hastings. However, the absence of any archaeological remains of or documentary evidence for a Roman fort at Hastings suggest that Hæstingaceaster may refer to a different settlement, most likely that based on the Roman remains at Pevensey . Evidence of prehistoric settlements have been found at the town site: flint arrowheads and Bronze Age artefacts have been found. Iron Age forts have been excavated on both
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#1732802111274804-468: Is of both biological and geological interest. The cliffs hold many fossils and the site has many habitats, including ancient woodland and shingle beaches. As with the rest of the British Isles and Southern England, Hastings experiences a maritime climate with mild summers and mild winters. In terms of the local climate, Hastings is on the eastern edge of what is, on average, the sunniest part of
871-691: Is the venue of the yearly pantomime and throughout the year hosts comedy, dance and music acts. The Stables stages more local productions and acts as an arts exhibition centre. An additional theatre is located in Cambridge Road, the Henry Ward Hall in a space shared with the His Place church in what used to be the Robertson Street United Reformed Church . There is a small four screen Odeon cinema in
938-527: The Battle of Hastings , which took place 8 mi (13 km) to the north-west at Senlac Hill in 1066. It later became one of the medieval Cinque Ports . In the 19th century, it was a popular seaside resort , as the railway allowed tourists and visitors to reach the town. Today, Hastings is a popular seaside resort and is still a fishing port with the UK's largest beach-based fishing fleet. Its estimated population
1005-468: The Victorian era . In 1801, its population was a mere 3,175; by 1831, it had reached over ten thousand; by 1891, it was almost sixty thousand. The last harbour project began in 1896, but this also failed when structural problems and rising costs exhausted all the available funds. Today a fractured seawall is all that remains of what might have become a magnificent harbour. In 1897, the foundation stone
1072-416: The gens Hestingorum (the people of Hastings) by Offa of Mercia in 771. Mercian overlordship was ended when they were defeated in 825, by Egbert of Wessex , at the Battle of Ellandun . Egbert went on to annex the territories of Essex, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, suggesting that by this time the Haestingas had been subsumed into Sussex. However it is known that the Haestingas retained a distinct identity till
1139-616: The 11th century as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records the Haestingas as having been harried by the Danes in 1011. The 19th century writer, Grant Allen argued that the Hastings region was predestined to be a separate region between the rest of Sussex and Kent, to later join with Sussex. Effectively isolated, the region was separated from the rest of Sussex and England by the marshland of the Pevensey Levels lying to
1206-478: The 11th century. The kingdom was probably a sub-kingdom, the object of a disputed overlordship by the two powerful neighbouring kingdoms: when King Wihtred of Kent settled a dispute with King Ine of Sussex & Wessex in 694, it is probable that he ceded the overlordship of Haestingas to Ine as part of the treaty. In 771 King Offa of Mercia invaded Southern England, and over the next decade gradually seized control of Sussex and Kent. Symeon of Durham records
1273-746: The Cinema de Luxe in Hastings, and the Elite Cinema in St. Leonards, featured in a 1942 legal case, Regal (Hastings) Ltd v Gulliver , a leading case heard in the High Court and the Appeal Court , and ultimately resolved in the House of Lords , on the issue of company directors ' duty of loyalty to the company they direct. Haestingas The Haestingas , Heastingas or Hæstingas were one of
1340-572: The East and West Hills. This suggests that the inhabitants moved early to the safety of the valley in between the forts. The settlement was already based on the port when the Romans arrived in Britain for the first time in 55 BC. At this time, they began to exploit the iron (Wealden rocks provide a plentiful supply of the ore), and shipped it out by boat. Iron was worked locally at Beauport Park , to
1407-600: The Haestingas may have been of Frankish origin; however, other historians have rejected this, arguing that it is based on a misinterpretation of place-name evidence. Towards the end of the 8th century, Kent did not have a secure leadership and the kingdom of Wessex was pursuing an expansionist campaign under Cædwalla ; the result was that Kent found itself being raided frequently by the West Saxons. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for 686 reported that Cædwalla ravaged Kent with his brother Mul . The following year it said that
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#17328021112741474-664: The Hastings Bonfire Society stages a traditional Sussex Bonfire which includes a torchlight procession through the streets, a beach bonfire and firework display. Hastings Pirate Day takes place in July every year. Hastings, as of November 2017, still holds the Guinness World Record for the most pirates in one place. Other events include the Hastings Beer and Music Festival , held every July on
1541-516: The Norman conquest. William ordered a castle to be built at Hastings, probably using the earthworks of the existing Saxon castle. Hastings was shown as a borough by the time of the Domesday Book (1086); it had also given its name to the Rape of Hastings , one of the six administrative divisions of Sussex. As a borough, Hastings had a corporation consisting of a "bailiff, jurats, and commonalty". By
1608-867: The Oval (Previously Alexandra Park), the Hastings Musical Festival held every March in the White Rock Theatre , the International Composers Festival split between Hastings and Bexhill during August and the Hastings International Chess Congress . There is also a small Wildman event in late January. There are two main theatres in the town, the White Rock Theatre and the Stables Theatre. The White Rock theatre
1675-500: The Priory Quarter, which still remains unfinished but now houses Saga offices, bringing 800 new jobs to the area. Hastings has an Army Cadet Force (ACF) detachment which is part of Sussex ACF . This detachment is based in the old Territorial Army Unit Building on Cinque Ports Way, and is affiliated to PWRR . Hastings also has a Royal Air Force Air Cadet Squadron, 304 (Hastings) Squadron of Sussex Wing RAFAC, based in
1742-741: The Priory Quarter. In 2002 the Hastings and Bexhill task force, set up by the South East England Development Agency , was founded to regenerate the local economy, a 10-year programme being set up to tackle the local reliance on public sector employment. The regeneration scheme saw the construction of the University Centre Hastings , (now known as the University of Brighton in Hastings) the new Sussex Coast College campus and construction of
1809-499: The South Saxons is given by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , which states that in the year AD 477 Ælle arrived at a place called Cymenshore in three ships with his three sons. Traditionally Cymenshore is thought to have been located around the Selsey area, in the south west of Sussex. However the archaeological evidence indicates that the principal area of settlement in the 5th century, for the South Saxons, has been identified as between
1876-642: The UK, the stretch of coast from the Isle of Wight southeastern coast Sandown Bay to the Hastings area. Hastings, tied with Eastbourne, recorded the highest duration of sunshine of any month anywhere in the United Kingdom – 384 hours – in July 1911. Temperature extremes since 1960 at Hastings have ranged from 34.7 °C (94.5 °F) in July 2022, down to −9.8 °C (14.4 °F) in January 1987. The Köppen climate classification subtype for this climate
1943-422: The architect Decimus Burton , in the early 19th century as a new town: a place of elegant houses designed for the well-off. It also included a central public garden, a hotel, an archery, assembly rooms and a church . Today's St Leonards has extended well beyond that original design, although the original town still exists within it. The population of the town in 2001 was 85,029, by 2009 the estimated population
2010-531: The castle hill cliffs. Once that move away from the Old Town had begun, it led to the further expansion along the coast, eventually linking up with the new settlement of St Leonards . Such extensive development needed a large transient workforce. Many of the people coming into Hastings at this time settled on some waste-ground to the west of the main town called the America Ground . This land, originally
2077-552: The castle ruins, on the West Hill, are " St Clement's Caves ", partly natural but mainly excavated by hand by smugglers from the soft sandstone. Their trade was to come to an end with the period following the Napoleonic Wars , for the town became one of the most fashionable resorts in Britain, brought about by the assumed health-giving properties of seawater, as well as the local springs and Roman baths. Once this came about,
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2144-426: The coast between Hastings and Eastbourne at Pevensey. It is thought that the Norman encampment was on the town's outskirts, where there was open ground; a new town was already being built in the valley to the east. That "New Burgh" was founded in 1069 and is mentioned in the Domesday Book as such. William defeated and killed Harold Godwinson , the last Saxon King of England, and destroyed his army, opening England to
2211-562: The culmination of the Maydayrun —tens of thousands of motorcyclists having ridden the A21 to Hastings. The yearly carnival during Old Town Week takes place every August, which includes a week of events around Hastings Old Town , including a Seaboot race, bike race, street party and pram race . In September, there is a month-long arts festival 'Coastal Currents' and a Seafood and Wine Festival. During Hastings Week held each year around 14 October
2278-465: The departure of the Romans, the town suffered setbacks. The Beauport site was abandoned, and the town suffered from problems from nature and man-made attacks. The Sussex coast has always suffered from occasional violent storms; with the additional hazard of longshore drift (the eastward movement of shingle along the coast), the coastline has frequently changed. The original Roman port is probably now under
2345-452: The designated boundaries of Hastings, and development on the outskirts is resisted by Rother council whose administrative area surrounds Hastings. Rother has a policy of urban expansion in the area immediately north of Bexhill, but this requires infrastructure improvements by central Governments which have been under discussion for decades. This situation has now become the subject of parliamentary consideration. Ethnicity in 2001 Until
2412-532: The development of tourism, fishing was Hastings' major industry. The fishing fleet, based at the Stade , remains Europe's largest beach-launched fishing fleet and has recently won accreditation for its sustainable methods. The fleet has been based on the same beach, below the cliffs at Hastings, for at least 400, possibly 600, years. Its longevity is attributed to the prolific fishing ground of Rye Bay nearby. Hastings fishing vessels are registered at Rye , and thus bear
2479-570: The east of the town. Hastings Old Town is in a sheltered valley between the East Hill and West Hill (on which the remains of the Castle stand). In Victorian times and later the town has spread westwards and northwards, and now forms a single urban centre with the more suburban area of St Leonards-on-Sea to the west. Roads from the Old Town valley lead towards the Victorian area of Clive Vale and
2546-401: The former village of Ore , from which "The Ridge", marking the effective boundary of Hastings, extends north-westwards towards Battle . Beyond Bulverhythe , the western end of Hastings is marked by low-lying land known as Glyne Gap, separating it from Bexhill-on-Sea . The sandstone cliffs have been the subject of considerable erosion in relatively recent times: much of the Castle was lost to
2613-559: The group. In the 13th century, much of the town and part of Hastings Castle was washed away in the South England flood of February 1287 . During a naval campaign of 1339 , and again in 1377, the town was raided and burnt by the French, and seems then to have gone into a decline. As a seaport, Hastings' days were finished. Hastings had suffered over the years from the lack of a natural harbour, and there have been attempts to create
2680-412: The late 7th and early 8th century regularly attest a second king by the name of Watt (or Wattus). The historian C.T. Chevalier has suggested that Watt may have ruled the Haestingas. This is because place-names with the name Watt or What occur in the Hastings region, but are not found in western Sussex. The theory has been seen as plausible by other historians. Chevalier goes on to suggest that
2747-457: The letters "RX" ( R ye, Susse X ). There are now various industrial estates that lie around the town, mostly on the outskirts, which include engineering, catering, motoring and construction; however, most of the jobs within the Borough are concentrated on health, public services, retail and education. 85% of the firms (in 2005) employed fewer than 10 people; as a consequence the unemployment rate
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2814-606: The lower Ouse and Cuckmere rivers in East Sussex, based on the number of Anglo-Saxon cemeteries there. To the east of Pevensey , beyond the Saxon Shore fort of Anderitum , on the other side of the estuary and marsh and from there to the border with the Kingdom of Kent , lived a group known as the Haestingas. They gave their name to Hastings . Not very much is known of the Haestingas but they were believed to be
2881-524: The more probable explanation is that the Haestingas were Jutes who migrated from Kent. The Frankish princess Bertha had arrived in Kent around 580 to marry the king Æthelberht of Kent . Bertha was already a Christian and had brought a bishop, Liudhard , with her across the Channel. Kent was the earliest Anglo-Saxon kingdom to be evangelized and it would have been at this time the simplified Christian burial
2948-472: The north of the town. It employed up to one thousand men and is considered to have been the third-largest mine in the Roman Empire . There was also a possible iron-working site near Blacklands Church in the town – the old name of 'Ponbay Bridge' for a bridge that used to exist in the area is a corruption of 'Pond Bay' as suggested by Thomas Ross (Mayor of Hastings and author of an 1835 guide book). With
3015-402: The paper was produced in a building purposely designed for the paper, the F.J. Parsons Printworks (Observer Building) . Hastings Hastings ( / ˈ h eɪ s t ɪ ŋ z / HAY -stingz ) is a seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, 24 mi (39 km) east of Lewes and 53 mi (85 km) south east of London. The town gives its name to
3082-448: The people of Kent killed his brother Mul by "burning" him and that Cædwalla overran Kent (presumably in response to his brother's violent death). In 688 Caedwalla went on a pilgrimage to Rome, why he did this is not reported but he died while he was there. Stability was then returned to Kent under the new king Wihtred and also with Ine becoming king of Wessex. The people of Kent agreed to pay compensation ( Weregild ) to Wessex for
3149-538: The pier fire of 1917. Many of these images were produced as picture postcards by the British Postcard manufacturer he founded now known as Judges Postcards . The German submarine U-118 was towed loose in a storm in the early morning of 15 April 1919 and ran aground on the beach at Hastings in Sussex at approximately 00:45, directly in front of the Queens Hotel. The wreck was an attraction until it
3216-455: The river valley further to the north. There are three Sites of Special Scientific Interest within the borough; Marline Valley Woods , Combe Haven and Hastings Cliffs To Pett Beach . Marline Valley Woods lies within the Ashdown ward of Hastings. It is an ancient woodland of Pedunculate oak — hornbeam which is uncommon nationally. Sussex Wildlife Trust own part of the site. Combe Haven
3283-555: The same building. The town also has a Sea Cadet squadron, T.S. Hastings . This sits adjacent to the Army and Air Cadet building on the seafront. The site features a climbing wall and other training facilities. Throughout the year many annual events take place in Hastings, the largest of which being the May Day bank holiday weekend, which features a Jack-in-the-Green festival (revived since 1983) and usually falls around 1–3 May, and
3350-404: The sea before the present sea defences and promenade were built, and a number of cliff-top houses are in danger of disappearing around the nearby village of Fairlight . The beach is mainly shingle , although wide areas of sand are uncovered at low tide. The town is generally built upon a series of low hills rising to 500 ft (150 m) above sea level at "The Ridge" before falling back in
3417-515: The sea. Bulverhythe was probably a harbour used by Danish invaders, which suggests that -hythe or hithe means a port or small haven. From the 6th century AD until 771, the people of the area around modern-day Hastings, identified the territory as that of the Haestingas tribe and a kingdom separate from the surrounding kingdoms of Suth Saxe ("South Saxons", i.e. Sussex) and Kent . It worked to retain its separate cultural identity until
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#17328021112743484-521: The six Rapes or administrative districts of Sussex. By a Charter of Elizabeth I in 1589 the bailiff was replaced by a mayor, by which time the town's importance was dwindling. In the Georgian era , patronage of such seaside places (such as nearby Brighton ) gave it a new lease of life so that, when the time came with the reform of English local government in 1888, Hastings became a County Borough , responsible for all its local services, independent of
3551-580: The surrounding county, then Sussex (East); less than one hundred years later, in 1974 , that status was abolished. Hastings Borough Council is now in the second tier of local government, below East Sussex County Council . Hastings is situated where the sandstone beds, at the heart of the Weald , known geologically as the Hastings Sands, meet the English Channel , forming tall cliffs to
3618-404: The taking of Mul's life. The agreement may have included some ceding of border territory, and it has been hypothesized that the overlordship of Haestingas would have been ceded to Ine as part of this treaty. The southern kingdoms lived in relative peace for the next quarter century. The peace was shattered by the ascent of Mercian power; the chronicler Simeon of Durham records the defeat of
3685-406: The town centre include Queens Road, Wellington Place and Robertson Street. There are plans to expand the retail area in Hastings, which includes expanding Priory Meadow and creating more retail space as part of the Priory Quarter development. Priory was intended to have a second floor added to part of the retail area, which has not happened yet and so far only office space has been created as part of
3752-513: The town expanded, westwards only as there was little space left in the valley. It was at this time that the elegant Pelham Crescent and Wellington Square were built; other building followed. In the Crescent (designed by architect Joseph Kay ) is the classical style church of St Mary in the Castle (its name recalling the old chapel in the castle above) now in use as an arts centre. Building the crescent and church necessitated further cutting away of
3819-519: The town was still considered a separate 'county' or province to its neighbours 240 years after Offa's conquest. During his reign, Athelstan established a royal mint in Hastings in AD 928. The start of the Norman Conquest was the Battle of Hastings , fought on 14 October 1066, although the battle itself took place 6 mi (9.7 km) to the northwest at Senlac Hill. William had landed on
3886-608: The town, located opposite the town hall; however, there are plans to build a new multiplex cinema as part of the Priory Quarter development in the town centre. The town has an independent cinema called the Electric Palace located in the Old Town and a restored cinema in St Leonards called the Kino Teatr. The new luxury 'Sussex Exchange' Cinema, bar and conference venue is situated in St. Leonards. The Regal cinema and
3953-412: The tribes of Anglo-Saxon Britain . Not very much is known about them. They settled in what became East Sussex sometime before the end of the 8th century. A 12th-century source suggested that they were conquered by Offa of Mercia , in 771. They were also recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle ( ASC ) as being an autonomous grouping as late as the 11th century. The foundation legend of the Kingdom of
4020-401: The west and the forest of the Weald to the north, while Romney Marsh separates the region from Kent to the east. The kingdom of the Haestingas went on to join Sussex and become the rape of Hastings . It has been suggested that the Haestingas were of Frankish origin, based on Watt being a sub-king to the South Saxons and there being a place-name of Watten in northern France. However,
4087-627: Was 3.3% ( cf. East Sussex 1.7%). However, qualification levels are similar to the national average: 8.2% of the working-age population have no qualifications while 28% hold degree-level qualifications or higher, compared with 11% and 31% respectively across England. Hastings main shopping centre is Priory Meadow Shopping Centre , which was built on the site of the old Central Recreation Ground which played host to some Sussex CCC first-class fixtures, and cricketing royalty such as Dr. W. G. Grace and Sir Don Bradman . The centre houses 56 stores and covers around 420,000 ft . Further retail areas in
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#17328021112744154-524: Was 86,900. Hastings suffers at a disadvantage insofar as growth is concerned because of its restricted situation, lying as it does with the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to the north. Redevelopment of the area is partly hampered by the split administration of the combined Hastings and Bexhill economic region between Hastings and Rother District councils. There is little space for further large-scale housing and employment growth within
4221-556: Was 91,100 in 2021. The first mention of Hastings is found in the late 8th century in the form Hastingas . This is derived from the Old English tribal name Hæstingas , meaning 'the constituency (followers) of Hæsta'. Symeon of Durham records the victory of Offa in 771 over the Hestingorum gens , that is, "the people of the Hastings tribe." Hastingleigh in Kent was named after that tribe. The place name Hæstingaceaster
4288-416: Was dismantled in 1921. In the 1930s, the town underwent some rejuvenation. Seaside resorts were starting to go out of fashion, Hastings perhaps more than most. The town council set about a huge rebuilding project, among which the promenade was rebuilt, and an Olympic-size bathing pool was erected. The latter, regarded in its day as one of the best open-air swimming and diving complexes in Europe, later became
4355-428: Was introduced. As there is little archaeological evidence for the Haestingas, it is likely that they were already Christian when they moved to Sussex. Haestingas is from Old English and means settlement of Haesta's People. Haesta would have been the chieftain or ruler and -ingas means People. It is possible that the founder may have been a forebear of the Viking leader Hastein (who invaded Kent in 892), but there
4422-438: Was laid on a large concrete structure, but there was insufficient money to complete the work and the "Harbour Arm" remains uncompleted. In fact, during World War II, it was partly blown up to discourage possible use by German invasion forces. Between 1903 and 1919 Fred Judge FRPS photographed many of the town's events and disasters. These included storms, the first tram, visit of the Lord Mayor of London, Hastings Marathon Race and
4489-436: Was protected by the White Rock headland (since demolished). It was to be a short stay: Danish attacks and huge floods in 1011 and 1014 motivated the townspeople to relocate to the New Burgh. In the Middle Ages Hastings became one of the Cinque Ports ; Sandwich , Dover and New Romney were the first, followed by Hastings and Hythe then Rye and Winchelsea . At one point 42 towns were directly or indirectly affiliated with
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