Hastings Accommodation

White Rock Theatre Hastings Seafront
Fisherman's Museum Hastings Old Town adapted from an old Fisherman's Church
The distinctive Fisherman's Huts on the historic Stade Hastings Seafront
Hastings Fish Shops & Fish Market, Hastings Old Town
Luggers ashore near the Fisherman's Museum, Hastings Old Town Stade
Alfresco family restaurants & cafes around Hastings Old Town
Heritage East Cliff Railway Hastings Old Town
The elevated White Rock Gardens on the cliffs overlooking Hastings Pier
Relaxing on Hastings Pier with views out to the English Channel
The famous Regency Pelham Crescent Hastings with centrepiece St Mary's

Hastings Old Town Castle Fish Market Restaurants Smugglers Hastings History

The Hastings Arts scene ranks with the best in the South. The town contains a stunning mix of outstanding museums, theatres, an independent cinema and a huge range of art galliers. Art is all around in Hastings, not least in the town's stunning featured Regency architecture including the famous curved Pelham Crescent below the cliffs facing on to Pelham Beach. The iconic Church of St Mary's breaks the curve in the centre. Hastings Pier is a remarkable example of an early Promenade Pier with its wide pier platform. The Pier is another creation of seaside architect Eugenius Birch who modelled the design at Hastings on Brighton's West Pier, the latter of which is sadly now almost lost. Hastings Pier first opened in August 1872 and today is a hub for craft shops and amusements.

Both Hastings and nearby St Leonards to the West are rich in heritage architecture including stunning Regency seafront hotels. In Hastings the Stade area on the eastern seafront in Hastings Old Town is home to the fishing quarter and here you'll find the Fisherman's Museum, Shipwreck Heritage Centre and Hastings Fishmarket. Two famous shipwrecks protected by English Heritage sit on the Hastings coast. For a thorough journey into Hastings' history including smuggling, 1930s clearances, Georgian architecture, seaside resort history and Cinque Port history head to the outstanding Hastings Museum and Art Gallery and the Old Town Hall Museum.

Featured Sussex Accommodation

Freedom Holiday Homes - Rye / Hastings

Large selection of individually chosen self catering holiday cottages in the East Sussex coast area. Couples/Families welcome and many properties accept pets.

From £250 Per week (seasonal)

Hastings Museum & Art Gallery & Old Town Hall Museum

The superb selection of Hastings museums explore the fascinating history of this historic East Sussex coast resort. Hastings and the St Leonards area have a rich mix of historic themes from fishing heritage and old town Hastings to spectacular Georgian architecture and famous past residents including John Logie Baird, the inventor of the television. The recently refurbished outstanding Hastings Museum & Art Gallery makes a good starting point for exploring the history of the Hastings area. The museum boasts an impressive archive collection including drawings by the famous Georgian/Regency architects James Burton and Decimus Burton. Their creations are still majestically standing across Hastings and St Leonards.

Other highlights include the Japanese Collection and the Dunbar Hall area which features carvings and furnishings from the original Colonial and Indian Exhibition at South Kensington in 1886. The World Art Collection is on display here. Numerous exhibits are on John Logie Baird and Local History areas reflect on particular features in Hastings history including smuggling. Some fascinating surprises are here too including the Native American exhibit featuring a permanent display on Grey Owl and the Canadian Tribes. Sussex Pottery, Hastings seaside resort history including Mods & Rockers and Punch and Judy all feature and look out for JMW Turner's stunning wateercolour of Hastings Fishmarket!

The Old Town Hall Museum in Hastings takes a further close look at the history of Hastings. Housed within the Old Town Hall dating from 1823, this museum's displays, interactive models and reconstructions explore topics such as the 1930s clearances in Hastings, Hastings as Victorian seaside resort and Napoleonic garrison and the medieval Cinque port period.

Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, Johns Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 1ET. Tel.0845 274 1052. Old Town Hall Museum, High Street, Old Town, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 1EW. Tel.0845 274 1053. For opening times and more details on collections and temporary changing art exhibitions see the Hastings Museums webguide.

Shipwreck & Coastal Heritage Centre

A cluster of heritage centres and museums are around the old medieval Fishermans Quarter of Hastings Old Town off Rock-a-Nore Road. These include the Shipwreck & Coastal Heritage Centre, a superb family attraction featuring a big-screen audio visual show detailing the history of local shipwrecks such as the Amsterdam which sunk in 1749. The other famous shipwreck in the area is the 17th century warship - The Anne. Both wrecks are protected by English Heritage and via the centre you can find out how to explore parts of them at low tide!

The pre-historic history of the Hastings coast is given due attention including details on the prehistoric forest at Pett Level, the changing sea levels in the area since the Ice Age and the dinosaurs which once roamed a tropical river east of Glyne Gap. Hastings as medieval Cinque Port is also explored in-depth, including details on the decline after the great storms of the late 1200s.

Shipwreck & Coastal Heritage Centre, Rock a Nore Road, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3DW. Tel.01424 437452.

Hastings Castle

Owned by Hastings Council, the Grade I listed Hastings Castle on West Hill has recently undergone extensive conservation work. The Norman castle remains link Hastings with the Norman Conquest. Pevensey Castle to the West was constructed first followed by Hastings Castle which William ordered should be rebuilt in stone shortly after his coronation in 1066. St Mary's Chapel was also built adjacent to the castle.

Hastings Castle prospered from the Norman period through to its refortification under Henry III in 1220. The castle's decline, like much of this stretch of Cinque Port coastline including Old Winchelsea, dates from the period of the medieval great storms when chunks of the castle actually collapsed into the sea.

Take the West Cliff Railway up to the ruins of Hastings Castle's East Gate and Chapter House, the cloistered chapel. The 1066 Story exhibit is also on-site.

Hastings Castle & 1066 Story, Castle Hill Road, West Hill, Hastings East Sussex TN34 3AR. Tel.01424 444412.

Fishermen's Museum & Fishmarket Hastings

In the heart of Hastings Fisherman's Quarter is the town's most popular attraction - the Fishermen's Museum. The museum is on the historic Stade, the term used since the Norman conquest for the shingle beach area which today sits between Hastings boating lake and the coach park. A comprehensive history of the Stade area is via the Fishermen's Museum webguide. Fishing remains today hugely successful in Hastings and Britain's biggest fleet of beach launched fishing boats sits here on the Hastings Stade.

The Fishermen's museum is within the adapted site of the old Fisherman's Church. The big lugger - the Enterprise is inside alongside a wide selection of photographs, models, paintings, nets and fishing artefacts. Admission is free and just nearby is Hastings Fishmarket selling fish caught by local fishing boats. A fisherman's cafe is also in the area.

Fishermen's Museum, Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3DW. Tel.01424 461446.

Hastings Theatre & Cinema - White Rock Theatre, The Stables and The Electric Palace Cinema

Two outstanding theatres and an independent digital cinema are in Hastings. Just opposite Hastings Pier sits the White Rock Theatre, a top spot in Hastings for big shows including musicals and concerts. The main auditoriam here is huge accomodating over 1000 people. An art gallery, cafe and bar are all on-site and the Sussex Hall within is a popular venue for functions, events and smaller shows accommodating up to 300 seated.

The Stables Theatre and Arts Centre sits on the eastern side of the town in the Old Town area. Nine changing art exhibitions are held here through the year alongside an exciting programme of drama and youth theatre. The Stables sits within a character 18th century building and first opened its doors as a theatre in Hastings in 1959. For forthcoming performances and art exhibitions see the Stables webguide.

Also in Hastings Old Town sits the Electric Palace Cinema. A wide choice of films are on show here in this independent digital cinema inclusive of mainstream, classic and world cinema. The cinema often holds special events including ones featuring archive film footage on Hastings and the town's Fishing Heritage. For forthcoming film listings see the Electric Palace's webguide.

The White Rock Theatre, White Rock, Hastings TN34 1JX. Tel.01424 462288. The Stables Theatre & Art Centre, The Bourne, Hastings TN34 3BD. Box Office Tel.01424 423221. Electric Palace Cinema, 39a High Street, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3ER. Tel.01424 720393.

New Art Gallery Plans for Hastings Stade

Exciting plans are underway for the development of a New Art Gallery on the historic Hastings Stade seafront. The Jerwood Foundation holds an extensive collection of 20th and 21st century British art which as yet has never been on display to the public. In conjunction with Hastings Borough Council and East Sussex County Council the Jerwood Foundation plans to build a cutting edge art gallery to be sited in the area where the coach and lorry park is currently located on the Stade.

Great news for Hastings, the New Gallery is expected to open in 2011. Together with the New Art Gallery in Eastbourne (opening Spring 2009) and cutting edge contemporary art at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill, the East Sussex Coast is set to be a major art hub in the south in the years to come. Find out more about the New Hastings Stade Art Gallery and the Jerwood Foundation via the weblinks right.

Featured Sussex Accommodation

Freedom Holiday Homes - Rye / Hastings

Large selection of individually chosen self catering holiday cottages in the East Sussex coast area. Couples/Families welcome and many properties accept pets.

From £250 Per week (seasonal)