HASTINGS, is a burgh and market town of England, in the county of Sussex. It is situated near the eastern extremity of the county, in a valley that forms a beautiful amphitheatre, sloping on the south to the sea, and flanked on the east and west by lofty hills. The town consists of two parallel streets, the High Street and Fish Street, run ning north and south, and separated by a rivulet called the Bourne, which supplies nearly the whole town with water, and runs into the sea. The town is well paved, and contains riany handsome houses. The principal public buildings, are the two churches of All Saints and St Clement's, the town-hall and market-place, and a custom-house, with an es tablishment of 12 riding officers. The two churches are very ancient buildings. St Clement's is large and lofty. The town-hall was built in 1700, and has the market-place under it. There are here two excellent free schools, founded Ibr the education of 130 scholars ; and also a barrack for foot sol diers. The remains of an ancient castle are still visible on a high rocky cliff to the west of the town. The ruins re semble in form two sides of an oblique spherical triangle; having the angles rounded off. The base or south side towards the sea completes the triangle, and is formed by a pn.pendicular crag about 400 feet long. The east side is a plain wall about 300 feet long, and the north-west side is about 400 feet, the whole area being about 11.th acre. The walls arc about eight feet thick. A little to the west of the crag, are the remains of a priory of Black Canons.
Hastings is one of the cinque ports. It had formerly a good harbour and a considerable trade ; but as the harbour is choked up with sand, it now carries on merely a small coasting trade with London. Immense numbers of mac
karel, herrings, soles, &c. are caught here, and forwarded by land carriage to the London market. The only way to secure ships is to draw them up on the beach, which is here called the Stade. At tile west end of it is a fort mounting eleven 12•pounders. Boat building is carried on here to a considerable extent ; and considerable occupation is given to the inhabitants by a lime company, which employs nine sloops of 40 tons but-then, in bringing the chalk from the Holywell pits at Beachy Head, from April to November. About 120,000 bushels of 'hue are annually made at the kilns, which are situated to the west of the town.
Like other towns upon the coast, Hastings draws con siderable advantages from sea-bathing. Twenty bathing machines stand to the west of the town, close to a newly formed walk called the Parade. The beach is here ad mirable ; and convenient warm baths have been established some time ago by subscription. At the distance of two miles from the town is a large broad stone, on which Wil liam the Conqueror dined when he landed here. It is call ed the " Conqueror's Table." The following is the statistical abstract for the town in 1811: Number of inhabited houses . 665 Do. of families . 789 Do. employed in agriculture 45 Do. in trade and manufactures . 479 Males . . 1739 Females . 2109 Total Population in 1811 . 3848 East Long. 41' 25", North Lat. 50° 52' 10", according to ti igonometrical observations. See the Guide to the Water ing. Places 1805 ; and the Beauties of England and Wales, vol. xiv. p. 184.