This spruced-up seaside town is now a stylish retreat
HASTINGS was once a health resort. In the 19th century people came to take the waters and enjoy the soot-free country air.
Pre-Raphaelite model Elizabeth Siddal took lodgings in what is now the Old Town, hoping to improve her failing health. She was joined by her lover, the artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and the couple later married in the town.
Hastings’ fortunes have waxed and waned since then. But, for the past decade, it’s been resolutely on the up, while still being a stalwart for slot machines and pots of winkles.
Last summer the pier reopened, and the elegant structure has won RIBA awards. It’s a wide-open space for a wander — even on a grey day — with expansive views. There are regular events and you can join an energising yoga class, saluting the elements. Hastings Old Town retains the charm it had in Rossetti’s day. Only now you can admire the slick Jerwood Gallery, designed to complement the lofty, black fisherman’s huts that surround it. Inside are works by artists such as Christopher Wood and Paul Nash, as well as visiting exhibitions. Stephen Turner’s Exbury Egg will roll into town on Saturday.
If you’re staying the night, go up the road to The Old Rectory, a sumptuous B&B with a courtyard garden and enormous rooms named after streets in the Old Town.
The owners, Helen and Tracey-Anne, are serious about food. They cure their own bacon, bake their own bread and make proper, chewy muesli.
Come here in cooler months and you’ll want to linger in front of their cosy sitting-room fire with something from the honesty bar. Summer might be on the way out, but this seaside town doesn’t pack up for winter.