Palestrina in Hastings’, the Georgian Group Journal, Vol
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Richard Morrice, ‘Palestrina in Hastings’, The Georgian Group Journal, Vol. XI, 2001, pp. 93–116 TEXT © THE AUTHORS 2001 PALESTRINA IN HASTINGS RICHARD MORRICE he development of Hastings as a resort had, by Secretary of State for Ireland ( –) and Home T , been noted in London. Secretary ( –), and rewarded his father with an This fashionable summer retreat bids fair soon to rival earldom in . From to he was Joint Brighton and other hitherto more noted places of Postmaster-General and from to his death in July fashionable resort. The situation, both in point of he held that post on his own. Thomas Pelham scenery and mildness of the air, certainly exceeds any succeeded his father as nd Earl of Chichester in . place of the kind on the southern coast; and what is of He it was who involved Joseph Kay ( – ) in the great consequence to the invalid, the bathing which is scheme, presumably because he had turned to Kay excellent can be accomplished at any time of the tide, without the slightest risk or inconvenience. for works at Stanmer Park, his principal seat, in , the same year that Kay was appointed architect to the Hastings’s reputation was growing, as was its Post Office. population, which doubled in the fifteen years after Hastings was not amongst the very earliest of the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Hastings was above south-eastern seaside resorts, but had certainly all more picturesquely set than other south-eastern followed the lead of Brighton and Margate by the bathing places and, for the Earl of Chichester and his later years of the eighteenth century. The first scheme associates, the chosen location on the seafront was for the conversion of this Sussex fishing port into a perfect for a development picturesque but also ‘bathing place’ dates from . By the Swan commercial, with its aggregation of shops and baths Inn had an assembly room, two circulating libraries as well as houses and a church close to the Parade had opened by , the same year as the first bank, (Fig ). Although its history is not well documented, and warm baths had appeared by at the latest. it remains perhaps the most individual of such That sine qua non of the fashionable resort, the developments at a time of major activity in England’s guidebook, was first published in by John Stell, seaside resorts. the proprietor of the older of the two circulating Throughout the eighteenth century the Pelham libraries, with emphasis on the historical (the Battle family had maintained their political and land- of Hastings, for instance) and picturesque spots in owning interest in Hastings, and it was on part of the the environs of the town, especially those where castle property owned by Thomas Pelham, nd Earl of refreshments were to be had. Although there had Chichester, that the Pelham Crescent development been provision for theatrical diversions before, the was to be built. Pelham, born in and MP for first theatre only followed in , opening (perhaps Sussex from to , was son of the leader of the co-incidentally, perhaps not) on the same day as the Whig interest in the county and, as such, was Pelham Arcade. In short, Hastings had provided itself appointed Surveyor-General of the Ordnance in the with many of the accoutrements appropriate to a Rockingham administration of –. But in he place of resort, not without success. and his father went over to Pitt, who appointed him By the early years of the nineteenth century the THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XI PALESTRINA IN HASTINGS Fig. Richard Hume Lancaster, The Parade at Hastings, c. Hastings Museum. area around the sea end of the High Street, running the Old Town, with the developments to the west of back from the sea well to the east of the castle, had the Castle Cliff. More importantly it also stood close been developed. Pressure on space, aggravated by the to the west end of the Marine Parade, and thus presence of Hastings’s beach-launched fishing fleet, became an essential part of the fashionable walks. Not forced expansion to the west, around and beyond the only was some excavation of the cliff, and removal of eroded cliff on which stood the remains of the castle. previous cliff falls from its foot, needed to make room At first new development took place to the west and but the beach in front of the site (known as the Stade) south-west of the castle (Wellington Square, for had already been developed between and , instance, of – ), leaving the more difficult area with Caroline Place and Beach Cottages, and a immediately below the castle cliff unbuilt. This land shipyard at the east end, for the use of the fishing was owned by Lord Chichester. The land west of it fleet. Vestiges of these remained until after , was called the Gun Garden, and it was largely owned partially masking the development from the sea , and by James Lansdell, a builder from Battle. Both sites they are shown in views of the development (Fig. ). stood along a new street, Castle Street, opened c. , The choice of site was therefore determined by the to link The Suburb, later George Street, at the west of castle on the cliff above and behind it, intended, no THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XI PALESTRINA IN HASTINGS Fig. William Herbert, site plan showing the then remaining part of the castle behind the line of the cliff, with the conjectured walls of the castle running to the south of that line and the dotted outline plan of the Place, Crescent and Church, . Hastings Museum. doubt, as a picturesque backdrop. Indeed, at the as Pelham Place; beyond this the site of the Arcade, same time the Earl commissioned excavations at the crescent and church had not so far been developed castle to be carried out by the archaeologist William (Fig. ). The Picture of Hastings , one of Hastings’ Herbert, while the rock was being cleared back below competitive guidebooks, published probably just for the earliest part of the development, at latest by after , notes . He produced a plan of the castle as part of his ... Pelham Place, where the Castle Cliff has had report, showing the development in outline at the immense masses cut away to make room for a crescent, foot of the castle cliff (Fig. ). and an elegant chapel, Although little documentation remains, the chronology of the various parts of the group can be but without mentioning the Arcade. By Powell’s established. On April , W G Moss, a local Guide mentions Pelham Place and then goes on to historian and illustrator, drew the view westward up note that Castle Street, with the beach on the south side, and West of Pelham Place is an extensive range of buildings on the north side a terrace of six houses, evidently of for a Bazar [sic]; and over it are contemplated the erection recent construction, which Herbert’s plan identifies of a Crescent, with a Chapel in the centre. THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XI PALESTRINA IN HASTINGS Fig. W G Moss, drawing showing Pelham Place before the building of either Crescent, Church Arcade or Breeds Place, . Hastings Museum. The Bazaar which Powell mentions was the most was held at ‘the Swan’ and the concert at the Arcade unusual feature of the development. It was built was crowded to excess. under the platform which today stands in front of the crescent and church, itself reached by a carriage drive The Latest Edition of the Hastings Guide , published up a ramp within the western arm of the crescent. as late as , contains a long puff for the Arcade, no The Pelham Arcade, as the Bazaar appears quickly to doubt because the author of the guide, R L Jones of have become known, was therefore at Castle Street the Town Library, was in charge of ‘the Musical level, lit by a pitched skylight in the road platform in Department’ and ‘occasionally sings with very great front of the church and crescent. The skylight can eclat’. Jones’s note on the Arcade is worth quoting also apparently be seen in a watercolour of in full because it is the main contemporary excavations taking place on the site of the western description of the interior of both the Arcade and arm of the Crescent (Fig ). The Arcade opened on Pelham Baths: August and J Manwaring Baines notes that This stupendous rock (on which the castle stands), this was a great day for Hastings, as a Theatre situated between Castle Street and the Parade, whose opened in Great Bourne Street as well: romantic beauty struck the observer with delight and admiration, had of late years the appearance of danger. ... in the evening a balloon was sent up, a race dinner THE GEORGIAN GROUP JOURNAL VOLUME XI PALESTRINA IN HASTINGS Fig. Dr Robert Batty, watercolour of workmen at work on the cliff face prior to starting on the western arm of the Crescent and Church. Hastings Museum. The proprietor, therefore, very wisely, removed and Jones continues: cleared away, some or feet back of rock, and appropriated the ground for building purposes, on Pelham Baths are at the east end of the Arcade, and which site stands Pelham Arcade, a spacious handsome fitted up in the first style of elegance. The entrance is building of stone, about feet long, and contains by a spacious stone hall, which leads into two shops, which are let to Trades men, for the sale of all handsome saloons, of octagonal form, and decorated fashionable merchandise. The roof of the building is with beautiful Chinese scenery.