| By :
Jackie De Burca
Hastings is a medium sized town lying along the coast of East Sussex. Hastings is rich in history and most commonly known for its connection with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The battle itself took place 8 miles to the north of Hastings at Senlac Hill. The site now known as Normans Bay is where William the Conqueror landed. Originally a fishing port, it now has the largest beach based fishing fleet in England. With the introduction of the railway Hastings became a popular seaside resort in the Victorian era and the attraction of Hastings continues to this day. It is why the population of Hastings continues to grow even today. Hastings became a Cinque Port along with New Romney, Hythe and Rye. They still have their medieval roots in the form of historic ruins. With Hastings being a small fishing village it was ideally located for smugglers. This was due to taxes on luxury items, which could be made profitable by smuggling. Hastings also has some notable landmarks, remains of the castle on the sandstone cliffs and the Pier. Marine Court on the seafront is a 1930's art deco style block of flats, said to represent an ocean liner. In the 1930's Hastings had a major facelift. The promenade was rebuilt and an Olympic size bathing pool was erected. In its day it was known as one of the best open-air complexes in Europe. The locals still call the area 'The Bathing Pool', even though it has long since gone. Hastings beach is mostly shingle, although at low tide there are wide areas of sand. The town is mostly built upon low hills rising to 500ft above sea level. Hastings has a large Victorian park, Alexandra Park and several sites of specific interest. Marline Valley Woods is ancient woodland of pedunculate oak-hornbeam, part of this site is owned by the Sussex Wildlife Trust. A place of biological interest is Combe Haven, with its meadows and large reed beds it provides habitats for breeding birds. Hastings has four railway stations and two major road links. Two rail links serve London, one to Brighton and one via Ashford. There is also the Marshlink line which goes via Rye to Ashford where connections with Eurostar services can be made. The town is served by Stagecoach buses which extend right out to Bexhill, Eastbourne and Dover. The town is scattered with visitor attractions, three museums, Smugglers Adventure in St Clements Caves and The Blue Reef Aquarium which is my personal favourite! Around the fish market area can be found a miniature railway, fairground rides and amusement arcades. There are also many cafes and refreshment places in the area. There is also talk of plans to rejuvenate an area in the town centre known as 'The Priory Quarter'. Plans include large new office spaces, retail outlets and a new multiplex theatre. The town's pier faces a less promising future. If you're looking to relocate to a coastal town the average price in Hastings is £167,000, lower then many other coastal towns and often worth the investment. Further along the coast in Rye there's a beautiful end of terrace house listed with one online listing service for £225,000, which is well worth a look. You'll find plenty of good reasons to move to Hastings, East Sussex.
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