Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/220

HASTINGS 212 HASTINGS RAPE. two unsuccessful attempts in 1217 and 1340, the French succeeded in burning it in 1377. Its charter, which had originally been granted by Edward the Confessor, was confirmed by the Conqueror, and renewed by subsequent sovereigns down to Charles II. Under this charter it continued to be governed until tho passing of the new Municipal Reform Act, when its boundaries were extended, and the borough divided into three wards, governed by a mayor, 6 aldermen, and 1 8 councillors, with the style of " mayor, jurats, and commonalty of the town and port of Hastings." Its revenue is about 27,000, and the area of the new borough 1,807 acres, but of the liberties of the port, 1,670 acres. The population of the municipal borough, including St. Leonard's, in 1851 was 16,966, and in 1861, 22,837, while the parliamentary borough comprised in 1851, 17,011 ; in 1861, 22,910. _ It lias returned two members to parliament since the reign of Edward III., and is a polling place for the county. It is the head of a Poor-law Union, embracing the town of Hastings, with the adjoining pars, of Fairlight, Guest- ling, Pett, and Ore ; it is also the scat of a new County Court district and superintendent registry. In ancient times Hastings was a port of considerable importance, supplying 21 ships for the king's service, but is now almost useless as a port, though protected by a sea wall. There is no harbour, and only an indifferent road- stead for small vessels. It has nevertheless a custom- house, and is a coastguard station, with Seaford, Peven- sey, Hidncy, and Rye as its subports. Tho only shipping business is in the coasting trade and the fishery, which is large and increasing, at present employing 150 boats, varying from 5 to 30 tons each. Shipbuilding is also carried on to some extent, but the prosperity of the town now chiefly depends on the resident gentry and the numerous visitors who frequent it for sea-bathing and the beauty of its scenery. The sea frontage of the two towns of Hastings and St. Leonard's-on-Sca, which are now united by handsome marine terraces and blocks of building, is above 2 miles, exclusive of the liberty of Bex- hill, with an average depth of 1 mile. The streets are well paved and lighted, and the water supply excel- lent, being under the direction of the Local Board of Health. Some of the reservoirs are in the valley above the town, the others at about a mile distant ; besides which there is a well near tho Priory Meadows, where also the gas-works are situated. The old town of Has- tings, which lies in a valley between the East-hill and the Castle-hill, contains the houses of the principal resident families, and is the chief seat of trade. It is built in two principal streets, divided by the small river Bourne, and contains the Crescent, Pelham-place, &c. The streets of tho new town, which extends westward under the cliffs along the shore, are built with more regularity, princi- pally for visitors ; and still further westward, leading to St. Leonard's, are ranges of large and handsome houses. Great improvements are now being carried out on the crown lands facing the sea in the parish of Holy Trinity, where many houses have recently been erected, in- cluding an hotel containing 200 rooms. The public buildings are : a townhall, built in 1823, supported on arches, with a market-place beneath it ; a custom- house, gaol, dispensary, two banks, savings-bank, bath on tho Parade, assembly-rooms, literary and scientific institution, founded in 1831, two mechanics' institu- tions, a theatre, infirmary, Priory bridge, union poor- house, and battery on the stade or beach, where trees and remains of buildings are sometimes seen at low water. There are two lights on the beach, one 60 the other 30 feet above the sea-level, used only in summer. The Hastings and St. Leonard's Music Hall is a spacious building, recently erected in the parish of the Holy Tri- nity. Besides these, there are baths, libraries, reading- rooms, an arcade, marine parades, numerous and ele- gantly furnished hotels, and a highly decorated drinking fountain, which stands a little to the E. of Holy Trinity church. This beautiful piece of masonry is executed in Portland stone, consisting of a groined canopy supported by four marble columns, beneath which is a group of the Saviour and Woman of Samaria, with figures of the four Evangelists at the corners, and richly-carved crocketcd finials rising above the group. Beneath are three jets, and basins formed out of the massive base, which bears four inscriptions. A volunteer fire brigade was established here in 1861. The town council forms a local board of health, and has the direction of th police of the borough, consisting of a superintendent, 6 sergeants, and 13 men, the police station being in the townhall. An archery society was established in 1833 at St. Leonard's, which obtained the patronage of her Majesty Queen Victoria during her stay here for some months in 1834. Tho borough of Hastings includes the two town pars, of All Saints' and St. Clement's, also the pars, or districts of St. Mary-in-the-Castle, Holy Trinity or Priory, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Leonard, St. Michael- on-the-Rock, St. Mary Bulverhithe, St. Andrew, and parts of the country pars, of Bexhill and Ore. It gives name to a deanery in the archdcac. of Lewes and dioc. of Chichester. The principal churches within tho town are All Saints' and St. Clement's, the livings of which were united in 1770, but are now held separately. The former is a rect., val. 250, and was once held by Titus Gates; the latter is also a rect.,* val. 160. Both structures are ancient, having been originally built in the 13th and 14th centuries. The Holy Trinity church, which stands on the site of an ancient monastery of Black Canons of the Augustinian order, is at present incomplete, funds being wanted to construct the tower, which is to bo 120 feet high. The district church of St. Clement's, Halton, was erected in 1838 ; the living is a pcrpet. cur.,* val. 100, in the patron, of the bishop. St. Mary-in-the-Castlo is a perpet. cur. ; St. Margaret's stands between St. Leonard's and Hastings. The parish church of St. Leonard's is a modem structure, erected in 1832 under an Act of Parliament obtained by Mr. Burton, the ancient parish church having, as is supposed, been washed away by the sea. Besides these there is the Fishermen's church, situated under the East Cliff, also tho Episcopal proprietary chapel of St. Matthew, Tivoli, built by tho Rev. J. Cumberlege, B.D., in 1861, and licensed by tho bishop, for the convenience of the inha- bitants. The Wesleyans, Independents, Baptists, Coun- tess of Huntingdon's Connexion, and other denomina- tions of Protestant Dissenters, have chapels, and the Roman Catholics an establishment at All Souls'. There are two endowed schools known as Parker's and Saun- ders', the former with an income from endowment of 211, the latter of 117, also National, British, and infant schools. Hastings abounds with charitable insti- tutions of all sorts, as clothing, lying-in, provident, and other clubs. Besides the remains of the old castle, which stand on the cliff 400 feet above the sea, there are many interesting ruins in the town and its vicinity, as the College, founded by Henry dp Eu, in tho "reign of Henry L, within the castle, consisting of an arch, traces of a chapter-house, &c. Thomas-a-Becket was dean of this college, and William of Wykeham a prebendary. A farm and an old barn called the Priory barn mark the site of Sir Walter Bricet's priory for Black Canons, founded in the reign of Richard I. Traces of St. George's church are seen in a Roman camp near Fish- ponds, where Canning had a seat, looking on EC bourne Vale ; also Roman remains on the East-hill ; and at East Cliff House is a cutting from Shakspeare's mul- berry tree, planted by Garrick. On the E. side of tho town are tho Dripping Well, the Lovers' Seat, ami Govers ; and on the W. side Hollington church, tho Old Roar and Glen Roar, having falls of 40 and 15 respectively; whilst from Fan-light, which rises to a height of 600 feet above the sea, is a fine view of the coast of Franco and the Dover cliffs.. Hastings gives the name and tho titles of marquis and baron to the family of Rawdon-Hastings, and of baron to the Eurl ( Huntingdon and the Astley s. A market for corn is 1 on Saturday, one for poultry and provisions is held daily, and a fish market is generally held every day on the beach. Fairs are hold on Whit-Tuesday, the 26th July, and the 23rd November. HASTINGS RAPE, in the co. Sussex, contains the