 |
The Brassey Institute & Hastings Library
Situated in Claremont, The Brassey Institute is a lovely example of decorative Venetian Gothic architecture.
Designed by Walter Liberty Vernon for Thomas Brassey during his period as a MP for...
Read more about The Brassey Institute & Hastings Library |
|
|
Claremont
Claremont forms part of the Trinity Triangle
that includes Holy Trinity Church and The Brassey Institute (now used as the public library). |
|
|
Carlisle Public House / Pelham Arms
The Carlisle pub was originally called The Pelham Arms and was built in around 1820 by a Richerd Chandler. Constructed on the site of a former tannery in the area known as the America Ground.
The Carlisle was licensed as a live music venue in 1840 and remains very popular as such to this day.
In 1892 the Pelham Arms was renamed the Carlisle Hotel. Ironically the pub and Carlisle Parade are named after the Crown agent who had evicted the enhabitants of the America Ground in 1835.
Between the two world wars the pub became increasingly popular and by 1933 it had gained a popular roof terrace. The pub was extensively refurbished in the late 1930's to include a function room which could cater for larger social occassions and a dancefloor.
The venue became popular for snooker, billiards and darts tournaments and held quite a few events including the first ladies snooker tournament in Hastings.
The pub was closed duting the second world war and remained so until 1945.
In the 1960's the function room was named The Ocean Bar
and the Carlisle attracted many cultures which included teds and rockers. Greasers and Hell's Angels followed in the 1980's and the pub became a popular venue for bikers from far afield.
During the late 1980's and early 1990's the pub suffered bad publicity and the future was under threat from Hastings Council who owned the freehold of the building. Ater some very strong petitions and protests to keep the venue alive the idea of closure was thrown out in 1994.
May Day is very big in Hastings with bikers visiting by their thousands from all over the country. This coincides with Jack-in-the-Green, a very popular local festival, also attracting many visitors from out of town. The carlisle is at the centre of the day's activities. |
|
|
Castle Hotel
The Castle Hotel stood on the left at the entrance to Wellington Square from
the seafront and was built in 1817. The elegant hotel was demolished 1966 to make way for a supermarket. Poundstreacher now occupies the supermarket building. |
|
|
Denmark Place
Denmark Place has always been a popular part of the seafront, situated near the Queens
Hotel. This was particularly true in the early 1900’s with large pleasure yachts landing on the beach here and offering trips for tourists.
Two of the largest beach launched pleasure yachts were built in Hastings. The New Albertine operated from the beach at Denmark Place and the other worked at Eastbourne. Much like the fishing boats in the Old Town, the pleasure boats were wound up the beach by horse winches called capstans. |
|
|
FJ Parsons / Observer Printworks
The Observer printworks was built in Claremont in 1878, next to the Brassey Institute (now Public Library) which was also built that year. |
|
|
Gaiety Theatre
Built in 1882 in Queens Road; the Gaiety became
a cinema in 1932 and remains as such to this day. |
|
|
Grand Hotel / Varulam Hotel
Originally built as the Grand Hotel opposite
Hastings Pier but soon renamed the Varulam Hotel. It was poorly
built and fell into disrepair. Varulam Place was demolished
to make way for Waverly Court in 1989. |
|
|
Guinness Clock
Guinness made several promotional clocks following the success of the original at the Festival of Britain in 1951/2. The Hastings Guinness Clock was situated on the seafront, opposite the entrance to Robertson Street. The clock soon became fascinating for young and old, featuring music and many moving parts. A rotating sun, bell ringing man, fisherman catching fish from a pond, puppets and monkeys. As a finale the doors would open beneath the clock face to reveal the Guinness Tree and a parade by the famous Guinness Toucans. |
|
|
Hastings Castle
After the battle of Hastings in 1066, William ordered the construction of a wooden fortress, the forerunner of the more lasting stone building. The ruins of which dominate the town today.
The castle's original construction was probably
from wood, although the ruins that can be seen today are mostly
medieval.
During
the reign of Henry II, Thomas Becket was Dean of the chapel
inside the castle. Both this original chapel and the later
Collegiate Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary are now just
a ruin.
Numerous
English kings stayed frequently at the castle on their visits
to Hastings. Notably William Rufus held court here in front
of his army while waiting for the chance to slip accross the
channel to normandy. 1201 saw King John declare the English
to be "Masters of the Sea" whilst he was at the
castle.
The Pelham family owned Hastings Castle from the 17th Century until Hastings Corporation bought it in 1949. |
|
|
Hastings Grammar School
Originally formed from two educational charities (Parker's and Saunder's) which were ordered to be administered as the Hastings grammar school foundation as of 1878. At first the schooling was conducted from a small building in Bourne Walk, this was moved in 1880 as more space was needed. Bank's schoolroom at the top of Stonefield Road was used while the new purpose built grammar school buildings were erected. These were opened on the 4th July 1883. |
|
|
Hastings Museum
The museum was originally housed in the Brassey Institute building in Claremont (now home to the library). |
|
|
Hastings Pier
Hastings pier marks the seafront boundry between Hastings and St Leonards.
Construction began in December 1869 and was officially opened on August 5th 1872 by Earl
Granville (Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports), this was Britains first ever Bank Holiday.
Design was by Eugenius Birch and cost £22,250. Originally modelled on Brighton West Pier but with the addition of an eastern pavilion that seated 2,000 poeple. The pier was 910ft (275m) long and varied in width from 45ft (13.6m) to 190ft (57.5m).
The Eastern style pavilion was enlarged and re-roofed in February 1899. Desaster struck in July 1917 and the pavilion was destroyed by fire. A replacment structure came in 1922 with a less elaborate ballroom style structure at the end of the pier.
The Art Deco facade and minarets
at the shoreward end were added during the 1940’s. Dobell Bros, a
local watchmaker and jewellers in Robertson Street, commissioned
the clock that still resides in the Art Deco style entrance.
The 1940's to 70's are often percieved as the high point of the piers history with dancing every night, daytime concerts, stunt driving and speedboat trips to the harbour and back.
A Paddle steamer used to depart from the end of the pier with
trips to Eastbourne, Rye Bay and even Boulogne.
During the Second World War the pier was sectioned to prevent German invasion. Despite some bomb damage the pier was re-opened in 1946.
In 1966 the Triadome was erected on the first part of the
pier to house the Hastings Embroidery, which consisted of
27 panels of embroidery depicting the history of Hastings
between 1066 and 1966. The Triadome was later used as an aquarium and
then for an amusement arcade but was eventually removed.
Queen
Elizabeth opened the Triadome in 1966 to commemorate the 900th
anniversary of the Battle of Hastings and Princess Alice,
Countess of Athlone, opened the Hastings Embroidery on 25th
May of the same year.
In the 1960's and 70's Hastings Pier became a magnet for top rock and pop bands of the time.
During the 80's and 90's popularity reduced and the pier ownership changed hands several times, struggling to be financially viable. An application for Millennium funding was refused in 1996 to worsten the situation.
The owners in 1996 went out of business and the pier was subsequently closed to the public. This remained the case until new owners re-opened in May 2001 with a re-vamp of the main walk-through to boot.
In June 2006 the pier was declared unsafe by Hastings Council due to damaged supports and a fear that too many people on the deck could prove dangerous.
In October 2010 the pier suffered a huge fire which tore through 95% of it's upper structure. Believed to be arson, two teenagers were said to have been caught jumping from the structure. To the dismay of many locals the two were never prosecuted despite the courts proving they were not only present at the time the fire started, but also that the fire was started by "a human act". |
|
|
Havelock Road
This road was built soon after Hastings Station
was opened in 1852 as a main access road. The hill was actually
man made from the spoils created when digging the railway
tunnel. Havelock Road was named after a General Havelock,
a hero of the Indian Mutiny. |
|
|
Hermitage Home
The original Hermitage Home in Holmesdale Gardens was replaced in 1975 by a block of 40 one bedroom flats for the elderly, these were also named the Hermitage. |
|
|
Hippodrome / Deluxe Cinema /
Deluxe Leisure Centre
What is now the Deluxe Leisure Centre incorporating
amusement arcades, a snooker club and bingo hall started life
in 1900 as a music hall called the Hippodrome.
This was believed
to be the first theatre in the country with a cantilever balcony
so as not to need pillars that would block the audience's
view.
The Hippodrome later became the Deluxe cinema, and the
balcony survived until the 1960's when the cinema was converted
into today’s leisure complex. |
|
|
Holy Trinity Church
The church was built in 1857 by a noted Victorian architect Samuel Sanders Teulon. It was constructed in the Gothic style of the Middle Pointed or Decorated period (1812-72) on land reclaimed from the sea, known at that time as the America Ground.
The site allocated for the building of the Church was oddly shaped and called for all Teulon’s ingenuity and skill. By designing the Church with only one aisle, he was able to produce a longer and loftier nave, (93' x 62') and by placing the buttresses in the interior of the nave instead of outside, he has created a much greater sense of space in the building.
The dedication of the Church to the Most Holy Trinity recalled the medieval Augustinian priory of that name (where the multi-storey car park now stands in Priory Street). The Church was opened for worship on Michaelmas Day 1858 which is kept as the Church’s Patronal Festival and maintains a connection with the ancient Church of St. Michael which once stood near White Rock. St. Michael is also the patron saint of Hastings and appears on the Borough Seal.
Holy Trinity was fortunate in having Dr. Theodore Crosse as its first Vicar and Samuel Saunders Teulon as its architect, both of whom were men committed to the highest standards of church design and decoration. Together with the leading architects of the day, they showed particular concern with the stained glass used in the service of the Church.The glass in Holy Trinity was made by two of the greatest 19th century stained glass designers and manufacturers, Messrs Clayton and Bell, and Charles Eamer Kempe.
Symbols of the church's dedication to the Holy Trinity can be seen throughout the building with many of the features being grouped into threes. Trefoils, triquetras, triangles and interlocking circles.
The door at the base of the tower in Robertson Street was designed to be the main entrance and is surrounded by the symbol of the Holy Trinity. The main entrance was changed to the door in Trinity Street.
The space provided in the nave is suprisingly spacious due to the internal butress design and strong pillars. The roof is constructed in hammer-beamed style which is finely carved and features a single and double trefoil at each end of the arch. |
|
|
Model Village
The Hastings Model Village took three years to build and opened on 19th February
1955. Designed by Stanley Deboo, it featured models of
classic Sussex houses including oast-houses and timber-framed
houses.
Sadly the Model Village was forced to close in December 1998 after vandalism
caused £5,000 worth of damage. It was replaced by a miniature golf course built by Chris Richards.
The model village was replaced by a lazer maze style gaming centre in 2011, but still some of the original model village foundations remain at the site to this day. |
|
|
Palace Hotel
The Palace Hotel replaced the White Rock Brewery
in 1885 and was opened on 7th August 1886. It is now known
as Palace Chambers. |
|
|
Pelham Crescent
Some of the seafront and a large section of the castle cliff were cut away to build this regency style terrace in 1828 with the Church of St Mary-in-the-Castle standing in the middle. The shops that stand in front of it were originally designed as an arcade with unique wine cellars beneath. They were named the Bodega. |
|
|
Pelham Hall Cinema
Pelham Hall was once advertised as "the towns prettiest and most comfortable bijou picture house" and went through many transformations, including Pelham Hall Electric Theatre and Pelham Palacette. |
|
|
Plaza Cinema
What is now Yates' Wine Lodge was once a Cinema called the Plaza. The cinema was hit by a bomb on the 30th September 1940 causing significant damage to the building and 14 deaths. This is remembered as one of the most tragic incidents of 1940. |
|
|
Post Office
The original post office was in Queens Road
and moved to Cambridge Road in 1930 where it now adjoins Hastings
Railway Station and sorting office. The original Queens Road
site was taken over by Ward’s outfitters and opened
in 1933. |
|
|
Prince Albert Memorial Clocktower
Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert,
died on 14 December 1861 and a meeting of subscribers decided
to build a memorial to him in the form of a Gothic clock tower
on 10th March 1862. Prince Albert’s statue arrived from
Liverpool on 3rd July 1863. The memorial was completed when
the clock arrived on 10th June 1864 from Messrs Thwaites &
Reed of Clerkenwell. The clock tower was demolished in the
1970’s due to continued vandalism but the area where
it stood is still known to local people as “The Memorial” |
|
|
Priory Meadow Cricket Ground
Priory Meadow was first suggested as a cricket
ground in 1863, it was levelled and drained in April 1864.
The ditch was filled up and the stream diverted at a cost
of £500. The tenants of Priory Farm received notice
to quit so that the land could be sold for building in 1865.
The cricket ground was often used for other sporting events
such as tennis and the start of the marathon. Over the years,
many famous cricketers played here, Don Bradman, Dennis Compton
and Jack Hobbs to name but a few. The last county cricket
match was played in 1989 prior to development into the Shopping
Centre which stands on the grounds today. |
|
|
Public Hall Cinema
What
was once the Public Hall Cinema has more recently been The Crypt nightclub |
|
|
Queens Hotel
The prominent Queens Hotel on Hastings seafront was built in 1862 on the site of the America Ground. Originally the building had two cupolas on the roof of the Eastern side, but these no longer grace the building. The
hotel originally had a large forecourt to the front but this was much reduced to make way for seafront widening.
The Queens Hotel was badly damaged during the 1987 hurricane
and was subsequently closed. Remaining derelict for many years and passing through several owners, the future of the building was doubtful. Now restored, the building has been developed into luxury flats called Queens Apartments. |
|
|
Queens Road
Originally named Meadow Road after the Priory
Meadow Cricket Ground that stood alongside. Renamed Queens
Road in 1876. |
|
|
Ritz Cinema
The building now used as
the ESK Warehouse in Cambridge Road was originally the Ritz Cinema, owned by Union Cinemas.
Unfortunately
before building was completed Union went bankrupt and ownership
was transferred to Associated British Cinemas or ABC as they
are better known.
The Wurlitzer organ was a special feature
of the Ritz and played every Saturday morning at the ABC Minors
Club, which ran for 25 years. |
|
|
Robertson Street
Built by Patrick Robertson, the Conservative Member of Parliament, who was responsible for the development of this very elegant area in the early 1850’s.
Originally built as a residential terrace, Robertson Street was gradually converted into a row of shops
during its first 30 years.
What is now the United Reformed Church was
enlarged in 1885 and originally called Robertson Street Congregational
Church.
|
|
|
Robertson Terrace
Robertson Terrace is the row of houses that
now includes Debenhams overlooking Carlisle Parade to the
sea. It has a Lion and a Unicorn statue at either end, said
to have been acquired by Patrick Robertson from Buckingham Palace at the time he built the street in the 1850's.
|
|
|
St Andrews Arch
The original bridge at the top of Queens Road
carries the railway line to Ore and beyond eastward. It became
dangerous over the years due to sinking and was finally demolished
in 1896. An iron girder bridge was built in its place, and
that remains today. |
|
|
St Andrews Church
Demolition
of the church began in August 1970. It had become dangerous
and a group of people trying to save the Robert Tressell mural
were threatened with eviction for being uninsured. Only one
panel of the mural was saved and it is now on show at the
Hastings Museum along with other mementoes of Robert Tressell. |
|
|
St Helens Road
St Helens Road was completed in 1929 by Sidney Little and now connected the town directly with the A21 main road to London and Sedlescombe Road North leading to Silverhill. The new construction included the building of the bridge over Old Roar Gill.
|
|
|
St Mary in the Castle
The centre point of Pelham Crescent, St Mary in the Castle was built between 1824 and 1828 to a design by Joseph Kay. Last used as a church in 1970, the building became derelict soon after until the Friends of St Mary in the Castle saved the building from the threat of demolition. It was lovingly restored and re-opened as an arts centre.
The interior of St Mary in the Castle has a large auditorium with seating for 500 people and a huge domed roof. Other features of the church included a natural spring which rises up inside, an emersion font and catacombs. |
|
|
Summerfields Estate
Bohemia House / Summerfields School
This large area of land was originally Bohemia Farm which is where the Bohemia area gets it's name from. In 1817 the farm was taken over and demolished. This made way for Bohemia House, which was constucted in 1824.
In 1831 the estate was purchased by Wastel Brisco for £8,500 and remained with Brisco family until 1901.
In 1903 a Boys Prep School was started utilising both the house and grounds which were renamed Summer Fields. The building was extended at this point in a South East direction.
Both the home and lands were sold at auction in 1920.
During the war the house was used as the Town Hall but was returned to a school after the war ended.
The school was closed in 1966 and the furniture and fittings were sold off. The house and grounds were purchased by Hastings Borough Council for £170,000 and during 1970/71 the new police, ambulance and fire stations were using some of the land. In 1972 Bohemia House was demolished. |
|
|
Town Hall
Built in 1870, this celebrated building has an authentic gothic splendour that can rarely be found in a town centre. Its staircase with clusters of scagliola marble columns, stained glass windows depicting the Coats of Arms of countless Kings and Queens. The southern chimney place is fashioned with Bath stone with a carved statue of St Michael (patron saint of Hastings) and large painted tiles of Kings William and Harold. The stained glass windows bear the shields of the Earls of Sussex, See of Chichester and Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex. |
|
|
White Rock
Named White Rock Place on 7th October 1881,
this area was previously named Stratford Place and Precursor
Place before that. The area had a brewery that was built in
1831 and demolished when the Palace Hotel was built in 1885.
The White Rock Hotel was named the Yelton Hotel until 2005,
the family name of its original owner, Mr F.J. Notley, spelt
backwards. An infirmary once stood where the Spanish Colonial
style White Rock Theatre is today.
Marriot's photographic shop opened in 1910 and still remains
as such today. |
|
|
White Rock Baths
Originally opened in 1874 when the promenade
was only 10 feet wide, the roof of the underground public
baths formed part of the parade extension. There were two
baths, and the bath furthest from the pier was originally
intended as an aquarium but due to lack of funds it was opened
as a small bath for ladies. It possessed steps down into the
bath rather than the usual side steps and was popular amongst
younger swimmers. The Hastings water polo team played their
matches in the larger pool. Both pools were of salt water. White Rock Baths was transformed into The Baths Cinema during
1912 and opened in 1913 with seating for over 1,600 people. |
|
|
White Rock Underground Car Park
The underground car park opposite White rock pavilion was built by Sidney Little as part of the parade extension and was opened in June 1936 by the Minister of Transport, Mr L Hore-Belisha.
|
|
|
White Rock Bowls Pavilion
The pavilion was built in 1926 at a cost of £8,000. |
|
|
White Rock Theatre
An infirmary once stood where the Spanish Colonial
style White Rock Theatre is today. The same architect who
designed the theatre also designed the offices of Judges Postcards
on Bexhill Road, and the style is instantly recognisable. The theatre was officially opened in April 1927 by the Prince of Wales. |
|
|
Wellington Square
Wellington Square was the first part of the modern town centre to be built. The gardens in the centre were originally restricted to residents use only. In the 1930s the square became used as a terminus for country buses. Railings from around the garden in the centre of
Wellington Square were taken for scrap metal in the Second
World War. |
|
|
West Hill Cafe
The West Hill Cafe was constructed in 1955
and subsequently has become very popular due to its amazing
sea views. |
|
|
West Hill Lift
The West Hill Lift was the first of two funicular railways to be built in Hastings and was opened in 1891. This lift takes passengers up the West Hill Cliffs to the castle. |
|
|
West Hill Mill
A steam mill was situated at the beginning
of Priory Road on the West Hill. Built in 1849 by Mr Ward
of Ore, it became the last remaining mill in the area before
it was demolished in 1874. |
|
|
Sponsored by Combe Haven Holiday Park - St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex
|
