Hastings Castle, East Sussex

Before or immediately after landing in England in 1066 William of Normandy ordered three fortifications to be built at Pevensey in September 1066, Hastings and Dover, a few days after the battle. Hastings Castle was originally built as a wooden castle near the shore. In 1070 William ordered it to be rebuilt in stone.

The Count of Eu held the castle for most of the Norman period, but King John ordered that the castle be destroyed to prevent it falling into the hands of the Dauphin Louis of France. In 1220, Henry III re-fortified the castle.

In 1287 violent storms battered the south coast for many months and the soft sandstone cliffs eventually succumbed to the elements, and fell into the sea, taking parts of the castle with it.

Throughout the next century erosion was unchecked and gradually more of the castle was lost to the sea and the site was left in decay for many years. After that the site was purchased by the Pelham family and used for farming until the ruins had become so overgrown they were lost from memory.
During World War II, the castle was further damaged as Hastings was a target for bombing raids.

In 1951 the Hastings Corporation purchased the site and converted it into a tourist attraction.

(Photographs courtesy of Trish & Christ Seymour).

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