HASTINGS, a parliamentary and municipal borough, market-town, and famous water ing-place of England, in the co. of Sussex, is picturesquely situated on the shore, and sur. rounded on all sides except the s., which is open to the sea, by high cliffs. It is distant about m. e. of Chichester, and 74 in. s. e. of London by rail. It consisted formerly of only two streets, intersected by a small stream called the Bourne; but is now a considerable town, many new streets and terraces having been erected within the present century. Stretching westward along the sea-front of the town is the Marine parade, a spacious terrace, which; joined and continued westward by the Grand parade of St. Leonards on-Sea, forms one of the finest sea-walks in the kingdom. Formerly an insignificant village, situated a mile w. of Hastings, St. Leonards is now the Belgravia of that town, is united with it by lines of handsome houses, and included with it in the population returns. The chief point of interest in Hastings is the ruin of an ancient castle, stand lug on the summit of the West cliff, and supposed to have been erected previous to the Norman invasion. Fishing is the chief occupation—about 160 bbats ere employed.
Owing to the want of a harbor, the boats have to be pulled up on the beach by means of a rope and windlass worked by horse-power. Hastings is a great resort of pulmo nary invalids during the cold season of winter and spring; and in slimmer has facilities for bathing, though probably less desirable as it residence at this season than many other towns on the southern coast.
Hastings in the beginning of the 10th c. was of sufficient importance to have a mint. Here, as is well known, the Conqueror landed in 10G6, and in the immediate vicinity arc trances of a camp, said to be that occupied by the Normans on the night previous to their march against the Saxons. (See BATTLE). Under the Confessor, Hastings be came a member of the Cinque ports, after which it long continued in great repute for its ship-building. It has returned two members to the imperial parliament since the reign of Edward III. Pop. '71 of parliamentary borough, 33,337.