Hastings Heritage Strategy
This linked document is a draft Heritage Strategy for Hastings, prepared in 2017 by the Drury McPherson Partnership for Hastings Borough Council, which aims to identify and conserve the borough’s built, natural, archaeological, material, and intangible heritage.
Below are its recommendations and outlines of what is contained in each section.
Recommendation 1: the Council should work with Historic England and the property owners to
remove the identified sites from the ‘Heritage at Risk’ register.
Recommendation 2: building condition surveys should be undertaken as part of the conservation
area appraisal programme and a survey of grade II and significant unlisted buildings ‘at risk’
should be compiled.
Recommendation 3: the Council should take appropriate action to secure the future of the
scheduled and listed buildings at risk in its ownership.
Recommendation 4: the Council should review the options for management of the Castle when the
current lease ends.
Recommendation 5: a new application for a major grant from HLF should be developed by the
Council (in partnership with another non-profit body, if appropriate), to re-present the wider
castle site to the public.
Recommendation 6: the Council should work to improve physical connections and signage
between the Old Town and the town centre.
Recommendation 7: the town centre should be reinforced and enhanced as point of arrival by road
and rail, including provision of heritage-related signage.
Recommendation 8: the Council should prepare design briefs for key sites, with heritage/design
input.
Recommendation 9: the Council should designate current ‘gaps’ in seafront conservation areas as
part of a rationalisation arising from the current reviews.
Recommendation 10: the Council should maintain its support for the fishing beach, which should
continue to be managed as far as possible by working fishermen.
Recommendation 11: the Council should review its management of the net shops, including their
tenure, use, maintenance costs and setting; and draft and publish guidance based on the review.
Recommendation 12: the Council should manage Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve to national
Green Flag standard and seek appropriate national and international grant funding to secure its long-
term management.
Recommendations 13: the Council should pursue all options for the development of a visitor centre at
Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve and new interpretation around the site, including the East Hill.
Recommendation 14: the Council should produce a public realm strategy and street design
manual covering the historic town centres of Old Town, Hastings Town Centre, Central St.
Leonards, and Hastings and St. Leonards sea front.
Recommendation 15: the Council should work with East Sussex County Council to remove or
reduce through traffic on the A259, A 21 and A2101 in the town centre, seafront and Old
Town and seek to reduce parking on the seafront.
Recommendation 16: the Council should consider the development of a new visitor hub in the
town centre to provide orientation and information.
Recommendation 17: the Council should enhance or provide way-marking for pedestrian routes
to key heritage sites, such as the castle, East Hill, Old Town and Hastings Museum and Art
Gallery.
Recommendation 18: the Keep should continue to be the official depository for the historic
archives of Hastings, and the Council should draw on its resources by agreement, as appropriate.
Recommendation 19: the Council should increase the specialist resources available for
development management in the historic environment.
Recommendation 20: the Council should commission and adopt conservation area appraisals and
management plans for all its conservation areas.
Recommendation 21: the Council should allocate sufficient resources to develop a bid to Historic
England for Heritage Action Zone status.
Recommendation 22: The Council and owners of heritage assets and should consider increasing
efforts to animate heritage sites and thus public awareness and understanding of them
SUMMARY
- The strategy aims to assess the significance of Hastings’ heritage and suggest means for conserving and sustaining it.
- The heritage of Hastings includes archaeological evidence from the late Palaeolithic period and Iron Age enclosures.
- The town has a medieval Old Town, two parish churches, and a street plan that dates back to the medieval period.
- Hastings developed as a seaside resort in the 18th and 19th centuries, with notable landmarks such as Pelham Place and Wellington Square.
- The town experienced a decline after World War II, leading to high levels of deprivation in some areas.
- Hastings has numerous museums, archives, and collections, including the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery and the Fishermen’s Museum.
- The strategy recommends actions such as removing heritage sites from the ‘Heritage at Risk’ register, improving physical connections between the Old Town and town center, and developing a visitor center at Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve.
- The Council should allocate sufficient resources for conservation area appraisals and management plans, and consider increasing efforts to animate heritage sites.
BACKGROUND
This section provides a brief history of Hastings, from its establishment during the Norman Conquest to its development as a seaside resort in the 18th and 19th centuries. It also discusses the town’s decline after 1945 and its current status as a tourist destination.
- Hastings was well-established by the time of the Norman Conquest and had developed both in the Priory Valley and the Bourne Valley.
- The town lacked a good sheltered harbor and suffered from land loss and erosion due to the sea.
- During the medieval period, the Hastings shipping fleet declined in favor of Rye and Winchelsea.
- Hastings began to develop as a seaside resort in the late 18th century, attracting well-heeled visitors.
- St Leonards on Sea was a new resort town separated from Hastings by the White Rock.
- The town’s center was reestablished in the 19th century, with the construction of a new Town Hall and the digging away of the White Rock.
- The town experienced growth and prosperity in the early 20th century but declined after 1945, resulting in the loss of historic buildings.
- Tourism remains a major element of the town’s economy, with a relatively buoyant retail area and a large shopping center at Priory Meadow.
LEGISLATIVE AND PLANNING CONTEXT
This section provides a brief history of Hastings, from its establishment during the Norman Conquest to its development as a seaside resort in the 18th and 19th centuries. It also discusses the town’s decline after 1945 and its current status as a tourist destination.
- Hastings was well-established by the time of the Norman Conquest and had developed both in the Priory Valley and the Bourne Valley.
- The town lacked a good sheltered harbor and suffered from land loss and erosion due to the sea.
- During the medieval period, the Hastings shipping fleet declined in favor of Rye and Winchelsea.
- Hastings began to develop as a seaside resort in the late 18th century, attracting well-heeled visitors.
- St Leonards on Sea was a new resort town separated from Hastings by the White Rock.
- The town’s center was reestablished in the 19th century, with the construction of a new Town Hall and the digging away of the White Rock.
- The town experienced growth and prosperity in the early 20th century but declined after 1945, resulting in the loss of historic buildings.
- Tourism remains a major element of the town’s economy, with a relatively buoyant retail area and a large shopping center at Priory Meadow.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
This section discusses the concept of “spirit of place” and the importance of conservation in Hastings, emphasizing the town’s unique character and heritage.
- Conservation is the process of identifying, preserving, and enhancing the unique character of historic towns, buildings, ruins, and landscapes.
- The spirit of place encompasses the material, narrative, human, and concrete elements that make a place distinct.
- Hastings has a rich physical and cultural heritage, but its historic environments are relatively little known compared to similar places.
- The town has the potential to leverage its heritage for quality of life and attracting visitors.
- Heritage should be a central aspect of regeneration and urban development in Hastings.
- Hastings Borough Council aims to conserve and enhance the town’s built and natural heritage, considering its contribution to wider regeneration objectives.
SIGNIFICANCE
This section discusses the evaluation and prioritization of heritage assets in Hastings based on their significance and the need for further assessment.
- The significance of heritage assets is determined by their evidential, historical, aesthetic, and communal values.
- The categories of relative significance used in this report are exceptional, considerable, some, little, neutral, and intrusive.
- The built, archaeological, and natural heritage of Hastings are well-recognized, but local and intangible heritage are less so.
- No unlisted buildings or sites in Hastings require statutory listing or scheduling.
- A local list of historic buildings is being prepared, with five entries awaiting public consultation and Council ratification.
- Conservation areas in Hastings are not graded nationally or locally and their designation reflects the distinctive character of each area.
- There are various national and local natural heritage designations in Hastings, but no new sites requiring designation have been identified.
- Museum collections in Hastings have varying levels of significance, with three accredited collections of clear importance to the town.
- There is no national system of designation for intangible or ‘living’ heritage.
HERITAGE BY THEME AND AREA IN HASTINGS
This section discusses the historical context, listed buildings, conservation areas, natural environment, museums, and intangible heritage in Hastings.
- Hastings has a rich historical context, with Iron Age promontory forts and a Roman port lost to erosion.
- There are 935 listed buildings in Hastings, with one at grade I and 52 at grade II*.
- The town has 18 conservation areas, including the Old Town and Burtons’ St Leonards.
- Hastings has several museums, including the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery and the Fishermen’s Museum.
- The natural environment in Hastings includes parks, gardens, and designated habitats.
- The seafront is a significant aspect of the town’s heritage, but also faces conflicts with other uses.
- Hastings has intangible heritage, such as the Town Bonfire and Jack in the Green celebrations.
- The community is actively involved in preserving and retelling the history of Hastings.
ACTION PLAN
This section discusses the importance of preserving and enhancing the historic built and natural environment of Hastings, and the need for better interpretation, management, and investment in the town’s heritage.
- The heritage of Hastings is rich and diverse, but its interpretation and management are lacking.
- The town’s historic sites, such as the castle, are neglected and in need of improvement.
- Hastings should be the center of ‘1066 country’ but currently lacks the necessary infrastructure and promotion.
- The outer wards of Hastings suffer from severe deprivation and regeneration efforts have not reached these areas.
- Investment in major heritage sites and the town as a whole is necessary to realize Hastings’ heritage potential.
- Building condition in Hastings is a pressing issue, with many historic buildings in poor condition or unsympathetically altered.
- The town center and Old Town are vibrant, but improvements are needed to enhance their historic character and connections.
- The seafront is a key feature of Hastings, but it suffers from neglect, heavy traffic, and inadequate signage and interpretation.