Summary of Hastings Attractions
Where the sandstone ridge of the High Weald slopes toward the English Channel, Hastings serves as a functioning fishing port, a Victorian resort, and a site of historical significance.
Historically, Hastings was part of a Medieval coalition of coastal towns known as the Cinque Ports, and it boasts a charming old town nestled in a valley flanked by the rocky East and West Hills.
The town is famously associated with the Battle of Hastings, a pivotal moment in English history when William of Normandy triumphed over Harold Godwinson, the Anglo-Saxon claimant to the throne, initiating the Norman Conquest.
The battlefield, along with its abbey, is conveniently located just 15 minutes away by road or train. Furthermore, Hastings offers an award-winning pier, museums, art galleries, and light-hearted family attractions, making it an ideal location for a full day’s visit.
Let us delve into the top attractions in Hastings:
1. Hastings Old Town
The charming old quarter of Hastings is designed in a welcoming Medieval layout and features remnants of a wall constructed during the 14th century amid the 100 Years’ War.
Along the High Street and its intersecting alleys, visitors can discover half-timbered houses and Georgian facades that conceal much older structures.
These buildings are home to antique shops, unique boutiques, historic inns, galleries, cafes, and seafood restaurants.
During the summer months, events such as the Seafood and Wine Festival and the traditional Jack in the Green add to the vibrancy of the area.
Adjacent to the water lies the Stade harbour, which will be elaborated upon later, while along Rock-a-Nore Road stand tall, black wooden huts known as “net shops,” which date back to the 19th century, serving as weatherproof storage for nets and fishing equipment.
2. Battle Abbey
A visit to Battle Abbey is essential for those seeking to engage with Hastings’ historical narrative, located just a 15-minute drive or train journey away.
This partially ruined Benedictine abbey was erected on the very location of the Battle of Hastings in 1070 by the Normans as an act of penance following the bloodshed witnessed during their conquest of England.
The high altar is believed to have been situated where the Anglo-Saxon King Harold fell, marked by a stone today, as the abbey endured destruction during the Reformation and its abbot’s quarters were converted into a stately home.
Visitors can explore the battlefield using an audioguide, watch an informative film, and engage with replica weapons at the visitor centre.
The site features a charming 19th-century walled garden and offers access to the 13th-century ruins of the abbey.
3. Alexandra Park
Encompassing 109 acres, Alexandra Park extends from Hastings’ town centre into the suburbs, designed in the 1870s by Robert Marnock, a distinguished landscaper of the period.
Following a multimillion-pound restoration in the early 2000s, Alexandra Park has consistently received the Green Flag Award.
The lower section features formal gardens surrounding reservoirs, while the northern area remains largely natural and wooded.
The park is home to a diverse array of trees, a café, an adventure playground, and a bandstand that hosts concerts during the summer months.
Children will also enjoy the miniature railway located at the park’s northern end.
4. Hastings Country Park
A noteworthy aspect of Hastings is its proximity to protected countryside, accessible within minutes on foot.
Hastings Country Park is located at the southernmost point of the High Weald Area of Natural Beauty, encompassing 660 acres of ancient woodlands, cliffs, and heathland.
This site, which also features a Bronze Age fort, has been a locus of human activity since the Palaeolithic Age, bearing influences from the Celts, Romans, and Saxons.
The park is characterized by its glens, deeply wooded sandstone valleys punctuated by gorse shrub, along with rare mosses, liverworts, and lichens.
Additionally, various bird species such as fulmars, peregrines, and black redstarts breed in the cliffs, while stonechats and Dartford warblers are typical in the valleys among the gorse.
Visitors during spring or autumn may observe migrating species such as Pallas’s leaf warblers, red-rumped swallows, and Sardinian warblers.
5. Cliff Railways
Hastings features two funicular railways that traverse its sandstone cliffs.
The older of the two is the 150-meter West Hill Lift, which commenced operation in 1891, providing access to Hastings Castle and St. Clements Caves.
This railway is distinctive for its tunnel route and the continued use of its Victorian coaches.
The lower station is situated on the picturesque George Street, emanating from the old town.
The East Hill Lift ascends to Hastings Country Park and is noted as the UK’s steepest funicular railway, boasting a gradient of 78%. Opened in 1902, this line features a pair of towers designed to house the water tanks for the original hydraulic propulsion system.
6. Jerwood Gallery
Located on the Stade in front of the old town, the Jerwood Gallery opened in 2012 and features a contemporary art museum housed within a modestly elegant structure adorned with 8,000 black glazed tiles sourced from Kent.
This design integrates seamlessly with the net shops along the Stade.
The gallery’s collection includes works by prominent modern British artists, such as Stanley Spencer, L. S. Lowry, Walter Sickert, Patrick Caulfield, Ben Nicholson, and Augustus John.
Typically, three temporary exhibitions are displayed at any given time.
Past exhibitions have included artists like the Primitivist Christopher Wood and illustrator Quentin Blake.
In the summer of 2018, the gallery featured an exhibition celebrating the centenary of Abstract Expressionist Paul Feiler, himself a notable member of the St Ives School.
7. Hastings Castle
Perched on the West Hill, the remnants of Hastings’ Norman motte-and-bailey castle await exploration.
This fortification is particularly notable as its construction commenced immediately following William the Conqueror’s arrival, even prior to the Battle of Hastings.
The remaining structure, dating back to the reign of Henry III in the 13th century, has a storied past marked by adversity.
Over the years, approximately one-third of the complex has eroded into the sea due to storms, endured French assaults in the 14th century, remained abandoned in the 16th century, and fell victim to bombs during World War II.
Remarkably, a significant portion of the remains persists, including a cloistered chapel and dungeons, which are equipped with informative panels.
In a tent, visitors can view the “1066 Story,” detailing the castle’s history alongside that of the infamous battle.
8. St Clements Caves
For centuries, smuggling activities flourished in Hastings, and the sandstone caves on West Hill were burrowed with extensive tunnels for the transportation and storage of contraband, such as rum.
This practice continued until the Napoleonic Wars concluded, after which the town transitioned into a fashionable resort.
The St Clements Caves were rediscovered in 1820, gaining popularity among royalty when they became a tourist attraction during the Victorian era.
In this evocative and allegedly haunted environment, the smuggling narrative is vividly re-created with the help of 70 life-sized figures representing bootleggers, pirates, and smugglers, augmented by sound effects and interactive games for children.
9. Pelham Beach
The most welcoming stretch of coastline in Hastings lies between the pier and the harbour.
Pelham Beach is primarily covered in shingle, although large patches of sand become visible when the tide retreats.
For those who find the beach’s texture uncomfortable, deck chairs are available for hire, and RNLI lifeguards monitor the sea throughout the summer.
On the seafront, one can admire charming old architecture, including a Georgian crescent centered around St Mary in the Castle, a Neoclassical church repurposed as a performing arts venue.
The seafront features an array of cafés, restaurants, and ice cream parlours, paired with family-friendly attractions such as adventure golf, a trampoline park, and amusement arcades.
10. Hastings Pier
Constructed in 1872, Hastings Pier extends 280 meters into the English Channel.
Like many piers, it is vulnerable to weather elements, suffering storm damage in 1990 followed by a devastating fire in 2010, which destroyed 95% of the structure.
The subsequent renovation received the esteemed Stirling Prize for architecture in 2017, resulting in a design that pays homage to the site’s legacy while incorporating modern elements.
Visitors can explore a sophisticated exhibition within “the Deck” visitor centre, enjoy scenic views from a café on the upper floor, and access food and drink stands, interpretation trails, binoculars, and telescopes.
The pier is also a venue for free family workshops, live music, outdoor cinema screenings, and street performances throughout the summer.
11. Shipwreck Museum
Situated along one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, the Shipwreck Museum recounts the tales of countless vessels wrecked off the southeastern coast of England, where up to 600 ships navigate daily.
The museum delves into the geological and environmental factors that have contributed to the preservation of many wrecks in situ.
Noteworthy exhibits include artefacts from the Anne, a 17th-century warship from the reign of Charles II, and the Amsterdam, a Dutch East Indiaman wrecked in 1749. The museum offers a multisensory experience, encouraging tactile and auditory engagement.
12. Hastings Museum and Art Gallery
The town’s museum showcases a range of exhibitions within a brick and limestone, Elizabethan-style mansion.
The standout feature is the Durbar Hall, a splendid interior space designed for London’s Colonial & Indian Exhibition in 1886, adorned with intricate wooden carvings that embody an Indian Islamic style.
The upper floor of the Durbar Hall hosts a world art exhibition.
Children can engage with an interactive dinosaur gallery, while the town’s history is narrated through the “Story of Hastings in 66 Objects.”
Another intriguing exhibit showcases Native American artefacts related to Grey Owl, or Archibald Belaney, who, born in Hastings, emigrated to Canada and falsely assumed a First Nations identity, ultimately becoming a prominent conservationist.
His true identity remained concealed until after his passing.
13. True Crime Museum
Situated in the cliffs overlooking Pelham Beach is a museum dedicated to the more sinister aspects of humanity, which may captivate adult visitors.
The True Crime Museum displays haunting artefacts, including the actual tubs used by John George Haigh, known as “The Acid Bath Murderer,” to dispose of his victims, love letters from a serial killer, a genuine lethal injection table, and items associated with the notorious Kray twins, infamous East End gangsters.
The Crime Lab features interactive games for budding forensic scientists, and there is a surround sound cinema presenting recorded confessions from some of the most infamous serial killers.
14. Blue Reef Aquarium
Conveniently located near the East Hill Cliff Railway, the Blue Reef Aquarium is home to a wide variety of marine life, including rays, sharks, seahorses, and octopuses, as well as a Jungle Room featuring snakes and bearded dragons.
The centerpiece is an expansive ocean tank with an underwater tunnel, offering a unique perspective on vibrant shoals of tropical fish.
The aquarium hosts hourly talks and feedings during opening hours, including two ocean presentations focusing on the black reef sharks.
Visitors will also have opportunities to engage with the aquarium’s reptiles through guided sessions, and enjoy a ray feeding, octopus talk, and archerfish feeding.
15. The Stade
Situated in front of the old town, to the east of Pelham Beach, the Stade is home to Europe’s largest fleet of beach-launched fishing boats.
This area represents a fascinating element of living history, characterized by a shingle bay protected by a groyne, which has been utilized for beaching boats for over a millennium.
Historically, the beach was modest until the 19th-century construction of the harbour and groyne led to a significant accumulation of shingle.
At high tide, boats can launch into the sea with ease, although they must be pulled back onto the beach upon return.
This process was traditionally accomplished using horses; however, each boat is now equipped with a winch for self-recovery, and a caterpillar tractor provides additional support.
