Town Hall

Hastings has had four town halls, across three different sites.

Court Hall

The original Court Hall stood in the centre of the Old Town near to the Bourne Stream during the early 17thC and the location is carried forward to this day in the naming of Courthouse Street. This building was an upper chamber over two shops, but little more is known other than it had a loft to store gunpowder. This was subsequently replaced by the Old Town Hall in the High Street.

Current Building

The current Hastings Town Hall was built in 1880 to a design by Henry Ward (1854-1927) on the site of what was a stoneyard . It was made in an Early English style, making clever use of an awkward triangular site facing onto Queen's Road and is a Grade II Listed (Historic England listing 1245060). On the east front are a series of sculpted panels by a Mr. Earp depicting the following; Arms of the Cinque Ports, the Building of Hastings Castle, the Battle of Hastings, in which King Harold appears drawing the arrow from his eye; the Cinque Ports Barons Bearing the Canopy at the Coronation, 1264; the Landing and Defeat of the French, 1363; Queen Elizabeth granting the Corporation Charter; the Ships of the Cinque Ports going to meet the Armada ; and the Hastings Fishermen Boarding the French Pirates, 1796.

The original design of the building incorporated a police station on the Station Road side, offices both for police business and council business and two large meeting rooms; one to be utilised as a police court and the other for the council chamber. The council chamber was on the north side of the building and features stained glass windows bearing the arms of Montgomery, Albine, Plantagenet, Fitzalan, Radcliffe, Savile, Leonard, and Yelverton, who were Sussex peers, the arms of the Royal Duke of Sussex, and those of the see of Chichester. The entrance doors onto Queen's Road were replaced in 2002

Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony took place about one o’clock on the 3rd of September 1881 in the Council Chamber. The Mayor of Hastings, Mr. Alderman Gausden, entered the room in his robes, accompanied by Mr. Gregory, M.P., Sir Edward Watkin, Chairman of the South-Eastern Railway, Mr. John Shaw, Mr. Myles Fenton, and Mr. J. P. Knight, Traffic Manager of the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway, and Mr. Alderman Winter, Deputy Mayor. Many of the local clergy, gentry, and tradesmen were present. The Mayor began the proceedings by a speech referring to the past history of the borough. "The old Town-hall in the High Street," he said, "was built in 1825, when the population was only six thousand, while now the population was over forty-two thousand." The party afterwards proceeded to the adjacent recreation ground, where a large marquee had been erected for the accommodation of the. visitors and guests. Here luncheon was provided for about 350 persons with The Mayor presiding.

Images

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  Accession of Edward VII Town Hall 1901

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  Town-Hall-Queens-Road-Hastings-c1905.

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  Entente-Cordiale-from-Rouen-France-outside-the-Town-Hall-Queens-Road.-1906.

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  Town-Centre-looking-up-Queens-Road.-1906.

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  Queens-Road-and-Town-Hall-1910

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  Town-Hall-Queens-Road.-1910.

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  Town Hall c1910

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  Town Hall Queens Road

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  Proclamation of King George V 1910.

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  Page215-Town Hall c1920-Hastings of Bygone Days and the Present

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  High Street Circa 1920

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  Central-Cricket-Ground-Queens-Road-1923.

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  Prince-of-Wales-in-1927-Town-Hall.

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  On-this-day-15th-September-in-1928-Hastings-Police-set-up-a-‘flying-squad’-equipped-with-powerful-motorbikes-with-sidecars.

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  First Police Cars 1936

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  Middle Street 17 July 1947

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  Princess Elizabeth Visit 18/05/1951

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  Building-the-original-Queens-Parade-1956

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  Mods and Rockers invasion 1964 01

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  Bus outside Town Hall 1969

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  Hastings Coach Station 1970

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  HS 71 00030--497632

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  The-top-end-of-Station-Road-with-Haig-House-and-the-Chip-shop.-1976.

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  Coach-station-1979

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  1979-1

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  Station Road - 1980s

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  Queens Road 1980s

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  Still from 1980 film of Hastings

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  MiddleStreet c1996

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  Cricket Ground c1996

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  Central Cricket Ground circa 1996

1944 Proposals

During July of 1944, proposals were given to the Council on the 25th of the aforementioned month to utilise the bombed-out sites in Havelock Road, Station Road and Middle Street to expand the town hall - the existing building to be connected with an elevated walk way, and would replace properties in the latter two roads that, whilst not suffering direct damage were felt to be below standard. A grant of up to £100,000 was available from central Government for development of new council infrastructure. The new buildings would incorporate a new Assembly Hall capable of seating 1500 people, the town Library, a relocated council chamber and Mayor's chamber together with sufficient office-space to accommodate all of the council's departments. Entry to the buildings would be at the foot of an octagonal tower visible from the Albert Memorial opening to Havelock Road, and the Council chamber could occupy an upper floor of the tower - this having a span of 50 feet. The pre-existing town hall would continue its use as a court-room and police station. It was noted that the area suffered from flooding and waterlogging, so the buildings would be constructed on a concrete raft with piles extending down to bedrock. No basement areas would be constructed due to the flood risks. With a mixed response from councillors, plans drawn up by Mr. Trystan Edwards were released to the public in the Hastings & St. Leonards Observer the following Saturday, with the meeting being adjourned.

The adjourned meeting continued on the 19th of September 1944, where the committee's advice that a cheaper site to accommmodate the council's various departments was unlikely to be found was discussed. Whilst the public response to the plans were generally favourable, the most strenuous objection being to the linking bridge joining the site to the pre-existing Town Hall. The meeting was reportedly quite rowdy and Alderman Dymond struggled to be heard over the hubbub until Councillor Thorpe interjected.

Alderman Dymond pointed out the the plans offered substantially more square footage of accommodation than an alternative in Warrior Square Terrace (92,000 vs. 26,000 square feet). In addition, the Warrior Square proposal would spoil the proportions of the historic square. Councillor Thorpe said that proposals for a new civic-centre capable of accommodating the whole council had been discussed on many occasions previously - there were as many as eight potential sites discussed in 1936.

Councillor King felt that Havelock Road should be widened and lined with retail premises to form a shopping centre leading away from the Station. In addition, the grant was by no means guaranteed and buildings in Wellington Square were perfectly capable of accommodating the council officers.

Councillor Banks leant towards siting the buildings on Warrior Square - with the current development westwards towards Glyne Gap and Bexhill would possibly result in Bexhill being incorporated into Hastings and St. Leonards.

Councillor Riddle rejected Banks' opinion and said that Wellington Square was prime for development - an underground car park could be excavated and this would serve as an air-raid shelter if a further war occurred.

Councillor Bouquet felt that the plans could be expanded upon - if the layout of the buildings were to be flipped (i.e. facing Priory Meadow as opposed to Havelock Road), the Central Cricket Ground could be an open, public square (the cricket ground moving to the old airfield at Bulverhythe), and a statue of Winston Churchill be erected within this space.

Alderman Tingle strongly opposed the plans and pointed out that traffic noise could be a problem as well as the potential for flooding. Indeed, there was a higher need for replacement housing in the borough than a new town hall with labour being in short supply, and existing buildings in Wellington Square were sufficient.

Councillor Payne agreed that Wellington Square would suffice initially and could be re-developed extensively, widening Castle Hill Road and create a proper approach to the West Hill. To this Councillor Riddle strongly objected, Payne retorting that they shouldn't be dictated to by Riddle - the 'Hitler of the Town Council' - this leading to strenuous discussion amongst the council members.

Following Alderman Dymond's statement that there appeared to be little encouragement to support the plans, the matter was put to a vote and the proposal was rejected by most of the councillors - only seven voting in favour

See also: Old Town Hall