121-516: St Leonards-on-Sea (commonly known as St Leonards ) is a town and seaside resort in the Borough of Hastings in East Sussex , England. It has been part of the borough since the late 19th century and lies to the west of central Hastings. The original part of the settlement was laid out in the early 19th century as a new town: a place of elegant houses designed for the well-off; it also included
242-775: A beach resort . Seaside resorts have existed since antiquity. In Roman times, the town of Baiae by the Tyrrhenian Sea in Italy was a resort for those who were sufficiently prosperous. Barcola by the Adriatic Sea in northern Italy with its Roman luxury villas is considered a special example of ancient leisure culture by the sea. Mersea Island in Essex , England was a seaside holiday destination for wealthy ancient Romans living in Colchester . The development of
363-654: A Commissioner of the new town in 1833. He leased a triangle of land bounded by Mercatoria, St John's Church, Maze Hill and Kenilworth Road. Here he built The Cottage (now St Leonards Lodge), Maze Hill House (demolished), The Mount (13 houses), The Uplands (6), The Lawn (10), and six semi-detached houses which later became a school (later part of the college but now closed for redevelopment). Later, in Upper Maze Hill he built Baston Lodge , Tower House and Clone House (now Healey House). He gave some land in Mercatoria for
484-499: A National School, and completed his father's seafront terrace by building 72 to 82 Marina. Modern (2006) photographs give a flavour of this development. St Leonards became a fashionable seaside destination. Princess Sophia of Gloucester stayed at Gloucester Lodge on Quarry Hill in 1831. The building was formerly named the Castellated Villa but changed to Gloucester Lodge in honour of her. Princess Victoria and her mother
605-454: 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 land that is now St Leonards was once owned by the Levett family, an ancient Sussex gentry family of Norman origin who owned the adjacent manor of Hollington , and subsequently by their descendants,
726-424: A competition to name the building show that it was not universally popular. Now a listed building, it has recently been bought by the residents after many years of neglect and is in the process of being fully restored. St Leonards Golf Club, Hastings, (now defunct) was founded in 1902/3. The club closed in 1960. The town of St Leonards today occupies, firstly, the fairly steeply climbing land immediately adjacent to
847-675: A line between West Horsham and the L&;SWR near Guildford. It constructed a line from Leatherhead to Dorking in March 1867, continued to Horsham two months later. This enabled alternative LB&SCR routes from London to Brighton and the West Sussex coast and further reduced the distance of its route from London to Portsmouth. The LB&SCR supported the independent Surrey and Sussex Junction Railway , which obtained powers in July 1865 to build
968-525: A line from Croydon to Tunbridge Wells via Oxted , to be worked by the LB&;SCR. The involvement of LB&SCR directors in this scheme was interpreted by the SER as a breach of the 1849 agreement, and in retaliation the SER and LC&DR obtained an act of Parliament approval to build a rival 'London, Lewes and Brighton Railway', which would undermine the profitable LB&SCR monopoly to that town. Neither scheme
1089-399: A major incursion into its territory. However, the LB&SCR had one important playing card not available to the L&BR—control of the SER main line between New Cross and Croydon. In 1849 the LB&SCR appointed a new and capable chairman, Samuel Laing , who negotiated a formal agreement with the SER that would resolve their difficulties for the time being and would define the territories of
1210-445: A means for preventing competition from neighbouring railways. The committee recommended the abandonment of several projects, and that the LB&SCR should enter into a working agreement with the SER. The new board of directors accepted many of these recommendations, and they managed to persuade Samuel Laing to return as chairman. It was through his business acumen and that of the new secretary and general manager J. P. Knight that
1331-480: A modest degree of expansion elsewhere, most notably the acquisition of a branch line from the main line at Three Bridges to the market town of East Grinstead in July 1855. Some of the directors of the LB&SCR were closely involved with the company that purchased The Crystal Palace after the completion of The Great Exhibition in October 1851 and arranged for its removal to a site on Sydenham Hill , close to
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#17327726117291452-501: A number of technical problems, the LB&SCR abandoned atmospheric operation in May 1847. This enabled it to build its own lines into London Bridge, and have its own independent station there, by 1849. The history of the LB&SCR can be studied in five distinct periods. The LB&SCR was formed at the same time as the bursting of the railway mania investment bubble, and so it found raising capital for expansion extremely difficult during
1573-460: A report for its shareholders outlining a long list of the difficulties between the two companies, and the reasons why they considered that the LB&SCR had broken the 1848 agreement. The main areas of disagreement listed were at Hastings , allowing the LC&;DR to use its lines to Victoria , a proposed LB&SCR branch to Bromley , the new LB&SCR line to Dorking , LB&SCR opposition to
1694-477: A result of the crisis. Several country lines were losing money – most notably between Horsham and Guildford, East Grinstead and Tunbridge Wells, and Banstead and Epsom – and the LB&SCR was committed to building or acquiring others with equally poor prospects. The report was extremely critical of the policies of Schuster and the company secretary, Frederick Slight, both of whom resigned. It did however point out that these lines had been built or acquired as
1815-440: A result of the railway, the rural area between New Cross and Croydon rapidly became built up, and the population of Croydon increased 14-fold, from 16,700 to 233,000, during the LB&SCR's existence. During the 1860s the LB&SCR began to develop new traffic from the growing number of middle-class commuters who were beginning to live in the south London suburbs and working in central London. As part of its suburban expansion,
1936-655: A seaside resort dedicated to tourism with a large fishing fleet of recreational charter boats. Seaside resorts on the Flemish coast of West-Vlaanderen exist at the famous Knokke , Ostend and also De Panne and coastal towns along the North Sea served by the coastal tramway Kusttram run by De Lijn . There are many seaside resorts on the jagged coastline of Croatia and its several islands, including: With three long coastlines, France has many seaside resorts on its various coasts; for specific towns in each region, see
2057-526: A through (albeit roundabout) route from its main line near Croydon to a terminus in the West End of London. Following the acquisition of the WEL&;CPR, a new 'cut-off' line between Windmill Bridge Junction (Norwood) and Balham was constructed during 1861 and 1862, which had the effect of reducing the distance from East Croydon to Victoria. The VS&PR line was also connected with another joint venture
2178-597: A unique architectural style called resort architecture . The coast of Mecklenburg and Western Pomerania alone has an overall length of 2000 km and is nicknamed German Riviera . Heiligendamm in Mecklenburg , established in 1793, is the oldest seaside resort in Germany and continental Europe . Most important coastal areas with seaside resorts in Germany: Selection of German seaside resorts along
2299-604: A visit being considered as treatment for chest complaints. Owing to its generally better climate, the south coast has many seaside towns, the most being in Sussex . In the later 20th century, the popularity of the British seaside resort declined for the same reason that it first flourished: advances in transport. The greater accessibility of foreign holiday destinations, through package holidays and, more recently, European low-cost airlines , makes it easier to holiday abroad. Despite
2420-557: Is an example of that. Later, Queen Victoria 's long-standing patronage of the Isle of Wight and Ramsgate in Kent ensured that a seaside residence was considered a highly fashionable possession for those wealthy enough to afford more than one home. The extension of this form of leisure to the middle and working classes began with the development of the railways in the 1840s; they offered cheap travel to fast-growing resort towns. In particular,
2541-594: Is not always true; for example Broadstairs in Kent has retained much of its old world charm with Punch and Judy and donkey rides and still remains popular, being only one hour from the M25 . Brighton has also seen a fall in visitor numbers in recent years. The city has also experienced a rise in homelessness, especially noticeable on the city streets and in green spaces where tents have been erected. London, Brighton and South Coast Railway The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway ( LB&SCR (known also as
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#17327726117292662-805: Is particularly known for its beaches. All seaside resorts in Jordan are located in Aqaba , the only seaport in Jordan. Seaside resorts of Aqaba include Ayla Oasis and Marsa Zayed in the Tala Bay region. Many seaside resorts are located in Gyeongsang , Jeolla , Chungcheong , Gangwon , Gyeonggi , Incheon , Ulsan and Busan . The following are the main resort towns in Malta : Mexican resorts are popular with many North American residents, with Mexico being
2783-600: The Baltic Sea coastline: At the North Sea coastline: Greece, renowned as a summer destination, features a large amount of seaside resorts. Some of them include: India has a long coastline and hence has numerous beaches and resort towns. Beaches were already a popular tourist destination for the kings and the masses alike especially in South India where the Dravidian Empires built large temples near
2904-490: The Baltic Sea . The opening of the resort in Brighton and its reception of royal patronage from King George IV extended the seaside as a resort for health and pleasure to the much larger London market, and the beach became a centre for upper-class pleasure and frivolity. This trend was praised and artistically elevated by the new romantic ideal of the picturesque landscape; Jane Austen 's unfinished novel Sanditon
3025-482: The Eversfields , who rose to prominence from their iron foundries and widespread property holdings during Tudor times. Eversfields served as sheriffs of Surrey and Sussex in the 16th and 17th centuries and were later baronets before the family became extinct. James Burton , a successful London property developer who had developed large areas of Bloomsbury and the houses around Regent's Park , purchased land from
3146-764: The Galapagos Islands in Ecuador . Spanish resorts are popular with many European and world residents. Notable resorts on the mainland and islands include: Some examples of Ukrainian seaside resort towns are: The United Kingdom saw the popularisation of seaside resorts , and nowhere was this more seen than in Blackpool . Blackpool catered for workers from across industrial Northern England , who packed its beaches and promenade . Other northern seaside towns (for example Bridlington , Cleethorpes , Morecambe , Scarborough , Skegness , and Southport ) shared in
3267-515: The Hastings & St Leonards Observer and Hastings Independent Press. Warrior Square Gardens – The site was opened as a subscription garden in 1852. The Council purchased a strip of land at the southernmost tip to erect a statue of Queen Victoria which was unveiled on 31 December 1902. All but the uppermost rose garden was acquired by the Council in 1920 with the upper garden being donated to
3388-686: The Hayling Railway , but it was leased to the LB&SCR in 1874. Following the 1862 agreement with the L&SWR, a line was built from near Pulborough to a junction with the West Sussex coast line near Ford in 1863. This provided a shorter LB&SCR route from London to Portsmouth via Three Bridges and Horsham. The Epsom and Leatherhead Railway was an independent line from the L&SW main line at Wimbledon through Epsom and Leatherhead towards Guildford . The LB&SCR entered into an agreement to share its station at Epsom and to use
3509-662: The Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea . Most tourists come from the United States and European countries. Other resorts include: Italy is known for its seaside resorts, visited both by Italian and European tourists. Many of these resorts have a history of tourism which dates back to the 19th century. Resorts include (among many others): There are seaside resorts in Honshu , Shikoku , and Kyushu , but Okinawa
3630-657: The North Pier in Blackpool was completed, rapidly becoming a centre of attraction for elite visitors. Central Pier was completed in 1868, with a theatre and a large open-air dance floor. Many popular beach resorts were equipped with bathing machines , because even the all-covering beachwear of the period was considered immodest. By the end of the century the English coastline had over 100 large resort towns, some with populations exceeding 50,000. The development of
3751-476: The South Eastern Main Line to Dover following the opening of the 'Sevenoaks cut off' line between St Johns and Tonbridge railway station . A ten-year agreement between the SER and the LB&SCR over the use of the station and lines to Coulsdon was signed 1 February 1869 and renewed ten years later. The collapse of the bankers Overend, Gurney and Company in 1866 and the financial crisis
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3872-627: The South Eastern Railway (SER). There were two branch lines under construction at the time of the amalgamation: the Sutton & Mole Valley Lines from Croydon to Epsom (opened 10 May 1847), and the Arun Valley Line from Three Bridges to Horsham (opened 14 February 1848). The West Sussex coast line originated with a branch line from Brighton to Shoreham , opened 12 May 1840. This had been extended to Chichester by
3993-472: The West End of London and Crystal Palace Railway (WEL&CPR), to construct a new line extending in a wide arc round south London from the LB&SCR Crystal Palace branch to Wandsworth in 1856 and to Battersea in 1858 with a temporary terminus at Battersea Pier. Shortly after this line was completed, the LB&SCR leased it from the WEL&CPR and incorporated it into its system. Between 1858 and 1860
4114-564: The West London Extension Joint Railway , jointly financed by the LB&SCR, L&SWR, GWR and the L&NWR, to permit goods transfers between the companies and cross-London passenger trains. This line was opened in 1863, and in the same year the LB&SCR and L&SWR jointly opened a large interchange station named Clapham Junction . The LB&SCR also operated passenger trains between Clapham Junction and Addison Road . The West Croydon to Wimbledon Line
4235-457: The 1720s; it had been a popular spa town since a stream of acidic water was discovered running from one of the cliffs to the south of the town in the 17th century. The first rolling bathing machines were introduced by 1735. In 1793, Heiligendamm in Mecklenburg , Germany was founded as the first seaside resort of the European continent, which successfully attracted Europe's aristocracy to
4356-553: The 1860s primarily for the use and pleasure of the residents of Markwick Terrace, which was built in the 1830-40s. At that time, the land was owned by the Eversfield Trust, which no longer exists and the gardens are now owned, privately, by the Eversfield Estates. (Markwick was the surname of one branch of Eversfield family descendants.) Since the war the gardens have been run by a Committee of local residents as
4477-467: The 18th-20th centuries. In the past the resorts have received mostly domestic tourism, however, since the 1990s, following the opening of Polish borders, the international tourism has grown considerably. Notable resorts include: Many European and world tourists visit Portuguese resorts, particularly those on the Algarve and Madeira . Notable resorts include: The Romanian Black Sea resorts stretch from
4598-683: The Brighton line , the Brighton Railway or the Brighton )) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1922. Its territory formed a rough triangle, with London at its apex, practically the whole coastline of Sussex as its base, covering a large part of Surrey . It was bounded on its western side by the London and South Western Railway (L&SWR), which provided an alternative route to Portsmouth . On its eastern side
4719-456: The Brighton main line at Keymer Junction near Haywards Heath to the Brighton–Lewes line was under construction at the time of amalgamation, opening in October 1847. A short line from New Cross to Deptford Wharf , proposed by the L&CR, was approved in July 1846, shortly before amalgamation, but was not opened until 2 July 1849. The use of this line for passengers would have contravened
4840-425: The Brighton mainline at the LB&SCR Godstone Road station (later renamed Caterham Junction). Both companies objected to the other operating the branch line, which resulted in a delay of a year between the completion of the work and the opening of the line in 1856. Their failure to agree on such matters as through ticketing quickly drove the independent company into bankruptcy. Even after the SER took over running of
4961-604: The Burtons had bought land, saw the potential and it too began to sell off more space, having obtained an Act of Parliament opening the way for speculative builders beyond the Burton boundaries. As a result, the area between the two towns began to fill with properties. In 1875, the two towns merged into the County Borough of Hastings, and by then the total seafront had reached some three miles (4.8 km). Soon after that,
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5082-489: The Council in 1930. Recent improvements include major re-landscaping and wall restoration, completed in 2001. The lower section was completely re-laid following extensive excavation by Southern Water . St Leonards Gardens – Originally laid out as a private garden for the Burton family, St Leonards Gardens was bought by the town for £9,000 in 1879. The gardens had two ponds and a maze, which proved very popular and gave Maze Hill its name. Gothic-style buildings were built around
5203-921: The Danube Delta in the north down to the Romanian-Bulgarian border in the south, along 275 kilometers of coastline. Notable seaside resorts in South America include Búzios , Camboriú , Florianópolis , Fortaleza , Recife and Salvador in Brazil ; Mar del Plata in Argentina ; Piriapolis and Punta del Este in Uruguay ; Easter Island and Viña del Mar in Chile ; Barranquilla and Cartagena in Colombia ; and Guayaquil , Salinas and
5324-455: The Duchess of Kent , stayed in the town for the winter of 1834–1835, occupying a residence since renamed Victoria House. In 1837 Queen Adelaide passed the winter there. The popularity of St Leonards, however, was not lost upon the town of Hastings. It had already begun to expand westwards, through Pelham Place and Wellington Square, and further building began. The Eversfield Estate, from whom
5445-517: The East of Ireland developed after the introduction of rail travel. The Dublin and Kingstown Railway introduced day-trippers from Dublin to Kingstown (now Dún Laoghaire ) in South Dublin , and the coastal town became Ireland's first seaside resort. Other South Dublin towns and villages such as Sandycove , Dalkey and Killiney grew as seaside resorts when the rail network was expanded. Since
5566-728: The Estate now takes no part in the running. Access to the gardens is by membership of the Markwick Gardens Association. Queen Adelaide (1792–1849), consort of William IV, lived in St Leonards as a widow. Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) lived at 117 Marina in the summer of 1864, in order to be near his ailing wife Jane Carlyle , who was in possession of caretakers. Elizabeth Eiloart (1827–1898), novelist, retired to St Leonards, and King Solomon's Mines author Henry Rider Haggard came to live at North Lodge, Maze Hill,
5687-467: The Eversfield estate to put into being his concept of a seaside resort. The land was part of Gensing Farm, and included a small wooded valley leading down to the sea. Work on the plan started in early 1826. It included a house for himself (West Villa: now 57 Marina); service areas were provided, such as shops and laundering ( Mercatoria and Lavatoria ), as well as public buildings for entertainment and
5808-709: The Firth of Clyde have continued to prosper as middle-class commuter towns . Some resorts, especially those more southerly such as Hastings , Worthing , Eastbourne , Bournemouth , and Brighton were built as new towns or extended by local landowners to appeal to wealthier holidaymakers. Others came about due to their proximity to large urban areas of population, such as Southend-on-Sea , which became increasingly popular with residents of London once rail links were established to it allowing day trips from London. The sunshine and sea air were seen by Victorians as beneficial for health, and resorts such as Ventnor owed their growth to
5929-590: The L&CR and L&BR who were dissatisfied with the early returns from their investments. The LB&SCR existed for 76 years until 31 December 1922, when it was wound up as a result of the Railways Act 1921 and merged with the London and South Western Railway and the South Eastern and Chatham Railway to form the Southern Railway . (Dates of opening from F. Burtt The Locomotives of
6050-486: The L&SWR from Fareham in October 1848. In 1853 the Direct Portsmouth Railway gained parliamentary authority to build a line from Godalming to Havant with the intention of the company selling itself either to the L&SWR or the LB&SCR. This scheme would provide a far more direct route to Portsmouth but involved sharing the LB&SCR tracks for the five miles (8 km) between Havant and
6171-413: The LB&SCR built a line from Peckham Rye roughly parallel to the main line, through East Dulwich , Tulse Hill , Streatham and Mitcham to Sutton and Epsom Downs , which opened in October 1868. Relations between the LB&SCR and the SER and the interpretation of the 1848 agreement continued to be difficult throughout the 1850s and 1860s. They reached a low point in 1863 when the SER produced
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#17327726117296292-533: The LB&SCR gradually recovered its financial health during the early 1870s. As a result, all construction of lines was suspended. Three important projects then under construction were abandoned: the Ouse Valley Railway , its extension to St Leonards, and the Surrey and Sussex Junction Railway . The line between Tunbridge Wells and Eastbourne was shelved until the financial situation improved. For
6413-821: The LB&SCR was a major shareholder in the Victoria Station and Pimlico Railway (VS&PR), together with the East Kent Railway (later the London Chatham and Dover Railway (LC&DR)), the Great Western Railway (GWR) and the London & North Western Railway (LNWR). This enterprise constructed the Grosvenor Bridge over the River Thames at Battersea and the line to the Victoria Station , thereby creating
6534-427: The LB&SCR was anxious in case the SER should venture into this territory. As a result, in 1864 it sought powers to build a line between these two towns. It also obtained powers for the Ouse Valley Railway , from the south of Balcombe and north of Haywards Heath on the Brighton main line to Uckfield and Hailsham ; an extension to St Leonards was also approved in May 1865. However, some work had been carried out by
6655-401: The LB&SCR was bounded by the South Eastern Railway (SER)—later one component of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SE&CR)—which provided an alternative route to Bexhill , St Leonards-on-Sea , and Hastings . The LB&SCR had the most direct routes from London to the south coast seaside resorts of Brighton , Eastbourne , Worthing , Littlehampton and Bognor Regis , and to
6776-446: The LB&SCR, others by independent local companies set up with the intention of connecting a town to the railway network with the intention of sale or lease to the LB&SCR. Schuster accelerated the rate of mileage increase after appointing Frederick Banister as Chief Engineer in 1860. As a result, a further 177 miles (285 km) were constructed or authorised between 1857 and 1865. Schuster also encouraged an independent concern,
6897-423: The London Brighton and South Coast Railway 1839–1903 . ) At the time of its creation the LB&SCR had around 170 route miles (274 km) in existence or under construction, consisting of three main routes and a number of branches. The main line to Brighton from London Bridge opened in 1841. The sections between Corbett's Lane ( New Cross ) and London Bridge and between Croydon and Redhill were shared with
7018-566: The London to Brighton main line, which they purchased from Leo Schuster . The Crystal Palace became a major tourist attraction and the LB&SCR built a branch line from Sydenham to the new site, which was opened in June 1854, and enlarged London Bridge station to handle the additional traffic. The attraction proved to be an enormous success with 10,000 passengers conveyed daily to and from the new branch. On one day in 1859, 112,000 people were conveyed to Crystal Place by train, 70,000 of which from London Bridge. Samuel Laing retired as chairman at
7139-403: The Royal East Sussex Hospital. In 1993 this closed when the Conquest Hospital , was opened. This is managed by the East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust . In 2021 a new medical centre which houses two GP surgeries and a pharmacy, located next to West St Leonards Community Centre, was opened. It is intended to act as a modern health hub for up to 20,000 patients. The principal roads in St Leonards are
7260-402: The Royal Victoria Hotel, the shore end had a pavilion constructed of intricate ironwork at the entrance so that visitors could drive straight to the door and avoid the seafront weather. There was also a tollhouse to the left of the entrance that was demolished by a storm on 12 February 1899. The far end of the pier had a building used for dancing, and later as a roller hockey rink. During the 1920s
7381-427: The SER attempts at building a line to the west end , the LB&SCR agreement to let the LC&DR use its goods facilities at Bricklayers Arms , and the perennial problem of the shared main line between Redhill and Croydon . The most flagrant example of the lack of cooperation between the two companies, however, was with respect to the independent Caterham Railway , which ran in South Eastern territory, but joined
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#17327726117297502-401: The SER never took effect but remained under active consideration by both parties, and later involved the LC&DR. It was not until 1875 that the idea was dropped, after the SER pulled out of negotiations due to the conditions imposed by Parliament on the proposed merger. The LB&SCR continued as an independent railway but the SER and LCDR eventually formed a working relationship in 1899 with
7623-539: The US Atlantic coastline, enticing northern upper-class families south to subtropical Florida. The Florida East Coast Railway brought northern tourists to St. Augustine in greater numbers, and by 1887 Flagler began to build two large ornate hotels in St. Augustine, the 540-room Ponce de Leon Hotel and the Hotel Alcazar , and bought the Casa Monica Hotel the next year. Continental European attitudes towards gambling and nudity tended to be more lax than in Britain, and British and French entrepreneurs were quick to exploit
7744-453: The Warrior Square and Upper St Leonards areas were being developed. By now the railways had arrived: the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway reached West Marina in 1845, although it was not until 1852 that the station later named St Leonards Warrior Square was opened by the South Eastern Railway . Construction of the pier began in March 1888, and it was opened by Lord and Lady Brassey on 28 October 1891. Positioned almost opposite
7865-401: The amalgamation of a number of railway companies: Only the first two were independent operating railways: the Brighton and Chichester and the Brighton, Lewes and Hastings had been purchased by the L&BR in 1845, and the Croydon and Epsom was largely owned by the L&CR.) The amalgamation was brought about, against the wishes of the boards of directors of the companies, by shareholders in
7986-489: The army, he lived in Tower Road, St Leonards where he died in 1887. Historian Prof Roy Porter (1946–2002) retired to St Leonards. Dr Thomas Duncan Greenlees FRSE retired here in 1922 and died here in 1929. Archibald Belaney (b 1888 d 1938) "Grey Owl" achieved fame as a conservationist during his life, after his death the revelation of his non-Native origins and other autobiographical fabrications negatively affected his reputation. Born in England and migrating to Canada in
8107-400: The beach as a popular leisure resort from the mid-19th century was the first manifestation of what is now the global tourist industry. The first seaside resorts were opened in the 18th century for the aristocracy, who began to frequent the seaside as well as the then fashionable spa towns, for recreation and health. One of the earliest such seaside resorts was Scarborough in Yorkshire during
8228-400: The branch in 1859, the squabbling and bloody mindedness continued to the great detriment of the passengers. Eventually the matters reached the leader columns of The Times newspaper in 1862 before the companies would negotiate with one another. The chronic congestion over the shared line between East Croydon railway station and Redhill eased after 1 May 1868 when the route ceased to be on
8349-423: The branch line to the small seaside town of Blackpool from Poulton-le-Fylde led to a sustained economic and demographic boom. A sudden influx of visitors arriving by rail motivated entrepreneurs to build accommodation and create new attractions, leading to more visitors and rapid growth throughout the 1850s and 1860s. The growth was intensified by the practice among the Lancashire cotton mill owners of closing
8470-407: The development of Beach Resorts where Europeans used to visit during the harsh and cold winter of Europe. The archipelago of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep are also famous for beach resorts. Other beach resorts in India includes: The 'Irish Riviera' on the South Coast of Ireland features the seaside resorts of Youghal , Ardmore , Dungarvan , Cóbh and Ballycotton , all set close to
8591-410: The dredging of the channel and other improvements to the harbour between 1850 and 1878, to enable it to be used by larger cross-channel ferries, and in 1863 the LB&SCR and the Chemins de Fer de l'Ouest introduced the Newhaven–Dieppe passenger service. In 1878 the railway formed and underwrote the Newhaven Harbour Company and thereafter delegated responsibility for its operation to it. Largely as
8712-410: The early 20th century. By the 1970s cheap and affordable air travel was the catalyst for the growth of a global tourism market. Since the late 20th century, recreational fishing and leisure boat pursuits have become very lucrative, and traditional fishing villages are often well positioned to take advantage of this. Destin, Florida , for instance, has evolved from an artisanal fishing village into
8833-404: The end of 1855 to pursue a political career, and was replaced by the merchant banker Leo Schuster , who had previously sold his 300-acre (120 ha) estate on Sydenham Hill to the new Crystal Palace Company. Schuster instituted a policy of rapidly expanding the route mileage of the railway with new routes throughout south London, Sussex, and east Surrey. Some of these were financed and built by
8954-517: The end of 1866, but not completed. In West Sussex the Horsham branch was extended to Pulborough and Petworth in 1859. In 1861 a line was built from near Horsham to Shoreham , providing a direct link to Brighton. Branches were built from the West Sussex coast line to Littlehampton in 1863, to connect with a new cross-channel ferry service, to Bognor Regis in 1864, and to Hayling Island in 1867. The line from Havant to Hayling had been built by
9075-430: The factories for a week every year to service and repair machinery. These became known as wakes weeks . Each town's mills would close for a different week, allowing Blackpool to manage a steady and reliable stream of visitors over a prolonged period in the summer. A prominent feature of the resort was the promenade and the pleasure piers , where an eclectic variety of performances vied for the people's attention. In 1863,
9196-534: The financial recovery lay in the exploitation of London suburban traffic. By the late 1880s the LB&SCR had developed the largest suburban network of any British railway, with 68 route miles (109 km) in the suburbs in addition to its main lines, in three routes between London Bridge and Victoria: the South London line , the outer South London Line and the Crystal Palace lines , and the LB&SCR
9317-977: The first decade of the 20th century, Belaney rose to prominence as a notable author, lecturer, and one of the "most effective apostles of the wilderness" The Venerable Luke Irvine-Capel , Archdeacon of Chichester was the Priest-in-Charge of Christ Church with St Mary Magdalene and St. Peter and St. Paul from 2013 to 2014, and thereafter served as Rector (merely a legal transition) from 2014 to 2019, before his appointment as Archdeacon . A. E. Holt White (1851-1933), author and illustrator of The butterflies and moths of Teneriffe , resided at 3 Warrior Square Terrace, St Leonards-on-Sea. Poly Styrene of X-Ray Spex lived in North Street, St Leonards-on-Sea. The 2018 PDC World Darts Championship Winner and 2019 PDC World Matchplay Champion Rob Cross hails from St Leonards-on-Sea. Baston Lodge, Upper Maze Hill,
9438-411: The first years of its operation, other than to complete those projects that were already in hand. The L&BR had experienced difficult relations with the SER where the companies shared facilities, notably at Redhill and Hastings and on the approaches to London Bridge ). In October 1849 the SER acquired the new Reading, Guildford and Reigate Railway (RG&RR) line , which the LB&SCR regarded as
9559-506: The following articles: Germany is known for its traditional seaside resorts on the Baltic Sea and the North Sea coasts, mainly established in the 19th century. In German they are called Seebad ("Sea Spa") or Seeheilbad , sometimes with Ostsee- or Nordsee- as prefixes for the respective coastline. The most prestigious resorts can be found along the Baltic coastline, including the islands of Rugia and Usedom . They often feature
9680-424: The following year brought the LB&SCR to the brink of bankruptcy. A special meeting of shareholders was adjourned, and the powers of the board of directors were suspended pending receipt of a report into the financial affairs of the company and its prospects. The report made clear that the LB&SCR had overextended itself with large capital projects sustained by profits from passengers, which suddenly declined as
9801-765: The formation of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway . One new line to which the LB&SCR was committed was the East London Railway , a consortium of six railway companies: the Great Eastern Railway (GER); the LB&SCR; the LC&DR; the SER; the Metropolitan Railway; and the District Railway. It sought to reuse the Thames Tunnel , built by Marc and Isambard Kingdom Brunel between 1825 and 1843. A line
9922-476: The house built across the road at the entrance to old St Leonards; this remained his home until 1923. Robert Tressell , author of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists , lived at 241 London Road from 1907. Summerfields School produced the alumnus Rainier III, Prince of Monaco . George Bristow was the taxidermist at the centre of the Hastings Rarities ornithological fraud; his business address
10043-578: The joint line to Portsea. The LB&SCR objected to the scheme but the L&SWR negotiated with the new company and in December 1858 sought to operate a train over the new route. The LB&SCR attempted to prevent the use of its tracks and the so-called 'battle of Havant' ensued. The matter was eventually resolved in the courts in August 1859, and relations between the railways were formalized in agreements of 1860 and 1862. Samuel Laing had also approved
10164-554: The line as far as Leatherhead. The line opened in August 1859 and in 1860 this portion was transferred to the joint ownership of the LB&SCR and the L&SWR. The LB&SCR then bought the Banstead and Epsom Downs Railway, which was building a branch line from Sutton to Epsom Downs for Epsom Downs Racecourse , opened in May 1865. The LB&SCR wished to connect Horsham with significant towns in Surrey, and in 1865 it opened
10285-472: The loyalty of returning holidaymakers, resorts such as Blackpool have struggled to compete against the hotter weather of Southern Europe and the sunbelt in the United States . Now, many symbols of the traditional British resort ( holiday camps , end-of-the-pier shows and saucy postcards ) are regarded by some as drab and outdated; the skies are imagined to be overcast and the beach windswept. This
10406-667: The main one. In November 2023, the steep land between Marina on the sea front and the West Hill Road was affected by a series of landslips, leading to local homes being evacuated. In 1840 the Royal East Sussex Hospital was opened to provide care for the sick poor, this was renamed in 1887 as the Hastings, St Leonards and East Sussex Hospital. In 1923 it was rebuilt in Cambridge Road and renamed
10527-497: The next decade, projects were limited to additional spurs or junctions in London and Brighton to enhance the operation of the network, or small-scale ventures in conjunction with other railway companies. The latter included a short line from Streatham through Tooting to Wimbledon in 1868, and a connection from Portsmouth Town to Portsmouth Harbour in 1876, both jointly with the L&SWR. The proposed 'working cooperation' with
10648-630: The north coast, with its two beaches and a world-famous golf course, Royal Portrush Golf Club . Other Ulster seaside resorts are Newcastle , located on the east coast at the foot of the Mourne Mountains; Ballycastle ; Portstewart ; Rathmullan ; Bundoran and Bangor . Bangor Marina is one of the largest in Ireland and the marina has on occasion been awarded the Blue Flag for attention to environmental issues. The main seaside towns in
10769-626: The opening of Bray Daly Station in 1852, the County Wicklow coastal town of Bray has become the largest seaside resort on the East Coast of Ireland. The town of Greystones , five miles south of Bray, also grew as a seaside resort when the railway line was extended in 1855. Other seaside resorts include Courtown and Rosslare Strand in County Wexford . Ulster has a number of seaside resorts, such as Portrush , situated on
10890-405: The original L&CR station in 1842. For the first few years of its existence, LB&SCR trains used the L&GR lines from Corbett's Lane into London, but by 1849 the viaducts had been widened sufficiently for its own tracks. The LB&SCR inherited from the L&CR running powers to the smaller SER passenger terminus at Bricklayers Arms . Poorly sited for passengers, it closed in 1852 and
11011-561: The picturesque siting of villas amongst the wooded slopes and water of the central gardens, to be paid for by subscription. In addition he persuaded the Turnpike Commissioners to have the road leading to St Leonards included in the scheme, and arranged for the road through Silverhill to be built so as to give access. Before he died in 1837 St Leonards (Royal Victoria) Hotel, the South Colonnade, an archway marking
11132-470: The pier was modernised and finally cut in half during the Second World War as protection against invasion. The remains were removed in 1951. On the seafront stands an ocean liner shaped art-deco building known as Marine Court , which upon completion in 1937 was the tallest block of flats in the United Kingdom, comprising some 153 flats and 3 restaurants. Despite this claim to fame, entries to
11253-519: The ports of Newhaven and Shoreham-by-Sea . It served the inland towns and cities of Chichester , Horsham , East Grinstead and Lewes , and jointly served Croydon , Tunbridge Wells (preserved as the Spa Valley Railway ), Dorking and Guildford . At the London end was a complicated suburban and outer-suburban network of lines emanating from London Bridge and Victoria , and shared interests in two cross-London lines. The LB&SCR
11374-561: The possibilities. In 1863, the Prince of Monaco , Charles III and François Blanc , a French businessman, arranged for steamships and carriages to take visitors from Nice to Monaco, where large luxury hotels, gardens and casinos were built. The place was renamed Monte Carlo . Commercial seabathing also spread to other areas of the United States and parts of the British Empire such as Australia , where surfing became popular in
11495-475: The recently negotiated agreement with the SER that the LB&SCR would not operate lines to the east of its main line, and it was restricted to goods. A short branch from this line to the nearby Surrey Commercial Docks in Rotherhithe opened in July 1855. The main London terminus was the L&CR station at London Bridge , built by the London and Greenwich Railway (L&GR) in 1836, and exchanged for
11616-633: The royalty of Europe, including Queen Victoria and King Edward VII . In the United States , early seaside resorts in the late 1800s catered to the wealthy, including city businessmen. Cape May, New Jersey became one of the first coastal resorts in the United States, when regular steamboat traffic on the Delaware River began after the War of 1812. Early visitors to Cape May included Henry Clay in 1847, and Abraham Lincoln in 1849. By 1880, Henry Flagler had extended several rail lines southward down
11737-709: The seafront (Grand Parade and Marina) part of the A259 coastal route ; and London Road . Two of the three railway stations remain open: St Leonards (West Marina) was closed in 1967. Today's bus and train services provide the public transport for the town. Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC South East and ITV Meridian . Television signals are received from either the Heathfield or Hastings TV transmitters. The town’s local radio stations are BBC Radio Sussex on 104.5 FM, Heart South on 102.0 FM and More Radio Hastings on 107.8 FM. Local newspapers are
11858-402: The seashore. Beaches are also associated with Hindu rituals where pilgrims from different parts of India go for worshipping rituals. The sun rise and Sunset are also associated with Hindu traditions which are considered sacred my many Hindu communities and there are festivals to celebrate the sunset and sunrise. A major example of such festivals is Chhath Puja . The British Raj also contributed in
11979-568: The seaside resort abroad was stimulated by the well-developed English love of the beach. The French Riviera on the Mediterranean Sea had already become a destination for the British upper class by the end of the 18th century. In 1864, the first railway to Nice was completed, making the Riviera accessible to visitors from all over Europe. By 1874, foreign residents in Nice, mostly British, numbered 25,000. The coastline became renowned for attracting
12100-670: The second most visited country in the Americas. Notable resorts on the mainland and the Baja Gold Coast and Peninsula include: There are many seaside resorts on the Dutch coast, chiefly in the provinces of North Holland , South Holland and Zeeland , as well as on the West Frisian Islands . A selection includes: Poland's coast on the Baltic Sea includes many traditional seaside resorts established throughout
12221-627: The ships bringing the trade could berth. Another area notable for its seaside resorts was (and is) the Firth of Clyde , outside Glasgow. Glaswegians would take a ferry "doon the watter" from the city, down the River Clyde , to the Firth's islands and peninsulas and beyond, such as Cowal , Bute , Arran , and Kintyre . Resorts include Rothesay , Lamlash , Whiting Bay , Dunoon , Tighnabruaich , Carrick Castle , Helensburgh , Largs , Millport and Campbeltown . In contrast to many resorts, some on
12342-614: The south coast of Ireland . Youghal has been a favoured holiday destination for over 100 years, situated on the banks of the River Blackwater as it reaches the sea. Dungarvan is a seaside market town beneath the mountains in the centre of the Irish south coast. Kinsale is often described as a food lover's and yachting town, with a diverse range of restaurants, as well as a large and active creative community with numerous art galleries and record and book shops. Seaside resorts in
12463-623: The success of this new concept, especially from trade during wakes weeks . The concept spread rapidly to other British coastal towns, including several on the coast of North Wales , notably Rhyl , and Llandudno , the largest resort in Wales and known as "The Queen of the Welsh Resorts", from as early as 1864. As the 19th century progressed, British working class day-trippers travelled on organised trips such as railway excursions , or by steamer , for which long piers were erected so that
12584-495: The then Borough Surveyor, William Andrews. Little is recorded of the history of the site, although the name comes from the original farm. The garden has been subject to numerous improvements during the last 10 years and consists of shrub and flower beds, trees, grass areas, and an equipped playground suitable for children up to 14 years old. It is located within a priority ward and is a rare and valuable open space within its neighbourhood. Markwick Gardens – The Gardens were formed in
12705-484: The time of the amalgamation, and a further extension to Havant was under construction (opened 15 March 1847), with the ultimate aim of extending the line to Portsmouth. The East Sussex coast line from Brighton to Lewes and St Leonards-on-Sea , with running powers over the SER to Hastings , opened 27 June 1846, one month before the amalgamation, with branches to Newhaven (opened 8 December 1847), Eastbourne and Hailsham (opened 14 May 1849). A connecting spur from
12826-399: The town boundary with Hastings, and tall seafront houses (as far as 71 Marina) had also been completed. His grave is marked by a pyramid in the churchyard above St Leonard's Church . In 1850 his son Decimus (1800–1881) started the second phase of building, by acquiring more land and extending the development westward. He lived in the town for the remainder of his life. Decimus Burton became
12947-467: The two railways. Under this agreement the LB&SCR would have free access to London Bridge, Bricklayers Arms station and goods yard, and Hastings. The SER would have free use of the New Cross to Croydon line, and receive revenues from passengers at intermediate stations, but would not make or work competing lines to Brighton, Horsham, Chichester or Portsmouth. In 1847 the naval dockyard of Portsmouth
13068-465: The west of Hastings, leading up towards Silverhill and Hollington ; and secondly, an area to the west where the land is lower lying. The latter part of the town – Bulverhythe – is thought to be the original site of the port of Hastings, since cut off by longshore drift of pebbles. Within the higher land there are some small valleys: that through which the Priory stream flows through Alexandra Park being
13189-578: The west of Ireland are in County Clare ; the largest are Lahinch and Kilkee . Lahinch is a popular surfing location. Like British resorts, many seaside towns in Ireland have turned to other entertainment industries. Larger resorts such as Bray or Portrush host air shows , while most resorts host summer festivals. Israel is a major tourist area. Tourism in Israel is one of the major sources of income, with beautiful beaches, such as those found on
13310-423: The wooded valley. The gateway to St Leonards Gardens is an imposing Burton building. The garden was purchased by the Council in 1880 and opened to the public; it consists of trees, shrubs and grass areas with a central pond. The Council applied for a Heritage Lottery Grant for the restoration of this garden and work is now complete. Gensing Gardens – The garden was purchased by the Council in 1872 and landscaped by
13431-590: Was 15 Silchester Road. Fred Judge FRPS founded the local picture postcard manufacturer Judges Postcards . Sheila Kaye-Smith was a prolific author whose novels are set in the Sussex countryside around Hastings and Rye ; she was born in St Leonards, the daughter of a local physician and lived in Dane Road until her marriage in 1924. George Monger was awarded a VC during the Siege of Lucknow in 1857, and after leaving
13552-453: Was able to embark upon new railway building and improvements to infrastructure. Some new lines passed through sparsely populated areas and merely provided shorter connections to towns that were already on the railway network, and so were unlikely to be profitable, but the LB&SCR found itself under pressure from local communities wanting a rail connection, and was frightened that they would otherwise be developed by rivals. The main reason for
13673-526: Was being approached by two equally indirect routes from London, both under construction: a L&SWR route via Fareham and the former Brighton and Chichester Railway route from Havant . The two companies entered into an agreement in that year to share a line from Cosham on the mainland to Portsea Island , ending at the centre of Portsmouth town . Further progress towards the dockyard was prevented by Admiralty objections. The LB&SCR began its services between Chichester and Portsmouth, on 14 June 1847, and
13794-445: Was built as an independent railway joining the LB&SCR and the L&SWR main lines and opened in October 1855. For a few months it was operated under contract by its engineer George Parker Bidder but in 1856 it was leased to the LB&SCR who purchased it in 1858. At the same time, the LB&SCR was cooperating with the LC&DR to create the South London line between its terminuses at London Bridge and Victoria. The LC&DR
13915-399: Was converted into a goods station. The LB&SCR owned three stations at Croydon, later East Croydon (former L&BR) Central Croydon and West Croydon (former L&CR). The L&CR had been partially operated by the atmospheric principle between Croydon and Forest Hill , as the first phase of a scheme to use this mode of operation between London and Epsom . However, following
14036-526: Was earning more from season tickets than any other British railway. Thus an official return showed that the railway had operated more than 100,000 passenger trains from April to June 1889, more than any other company operating only in southern England. The scheme to link Eastbourne with Tunbridge Wells was revived in April 1879 with the opening of a line connecting the Hailsham branch to Heathfield , completed
14157-534: Was formed by a merger of five companies in 1846, and merged with the L&SWR, the SE&;CR and several minor railway companies in southern England under the Railways Act 1921 to form the Southern Railway from 1 January 1923. The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) was formed by an act of Parliament , the London and Brighton Railway Act 1846 ( 9 & 10 Vict. c. cclxxxii), on 27 July, through
14278-405: Was proceeded with. Following the opening of the branch from Lewes to Newhaven , the LB&SCR sought to develop a shorter Continental route from London to Paris via Dieppe , in competition with the SER routes from Dover to Calais and Folkestone to Boulogne . The LB&SCR built its wharf and warehousing facilities on the east side of the river, with Newhaven Harbour station . It funded
14399-473: Was the childhood home of Alan Turing . Seaside resort A seaside resort is a city, town , village, or hotel that serves as a vacation resort and is located on a coast . Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of an official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements such as in the German Seebad . Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists , it may be called
14520-681: Was therefore built between the LB&SCR at New Cross and Wapping with a link to the GER main line, in March 1869. It was primarily intended for goods transfer between these railways, but the LB&SCR introduced a passenger service between Liverpool Street Station and Croydon. By the mid-1870s the LB&SCR had recovered its financial stability through a policy of encouraging the more intensive use of lines and reducing operating costs. Between 1870 and 1889 annual revenue rose from £1.3 million to £2.4 million, whilst its operating costs rose from £650,000 to just over £1 million. The LB&SCR
14641-653: Was used from Victoria to Brixton , followed by new construction by the LB&SCR through Denmark Hill , and Peckham to the main line to London Bridge at South Bermondsey . During 1858, a branch line was built from Lewes to Uckfield , extended to Groombridge and Tunbridge Wells in 1868. In 1864 the Newhaven branch was extended to Seaford . The East Grinstead line was extended in 1866 to Groombridge and Tunbridge Wells . A large area in East Sussex between Tunbridge Wells and Eastbourne remained without railways, and
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