Saints' Street) via the Town Wall, and what is now Winding Street.
The Theatre was sold in 1833, at about a third of its cost, and the Wesleyans purchased it for about £800, and this is the origin of the Wesley Chapel, Bourne Street. The exact site of the " Hare and Hounds " Theatre at Ore was obtained by the Author through a plan found in the Corporation Records. A tablet was placed on the site during the Pageant of Heroes in 1914. This tablet was unveiled by the late Mr. Herbert Beerbohm Tree. See chapter on Pageant of Heroes.
The old house on page 153 is one of the most perfect specimens of 16th century style existing, and one of the many in the Old Town belonging to the Hastings Cottage Improvement Society, Limited. It was formerly one house, now divided into three tenements, and in the upper part there are evidences of what was once a large room which might have been used for meetings of some nature. In this room there was a large elliptical shaped window, a tracing of which is still visible on the north side looking on a warehouse. It abuts on the old Brewery in Courthouse Street, formerly Burfields. This house was doubtless used for smuggling purposes, there being under the floor of the front room a large space, about four feet deep, with a secret door. During alterations some years ago, this door was discovered, and, on opening, it was found to be full of rubbish, which was cleared out. There is little doubt the space has been the receptacle for contraband tubs of spirits. The late Dr. Greenhill, the Secretary of the H.C.I.S., has left a memorandum fixing the date in the 16th century. The title deeds commence 17th May, 1765, by a deed poll under the hand and seal of Phillis Noble, who inherited from her uncle Richard Chadderton, an Officer of the Customs, then by a lease and release made between Richard Fennings, Mariner, and Lucy, his wife, and John Poole, of Hasting, Mariner, and is described as " All that Messuage or tenement with the yard, backside, garden, and appurtances thereto belonging and therewithal usually held, letten, occupied, or enjoyed, lying and being in the parish of All Saints in the town and port of Hasting then late in the occupation or tenure of Ann Sargent, widow, then James Taught his undertenants or assigns, and abutting to a tenement and premises then late of the widow Fautley, to the South, to the common highway and watercourse called the Bourne, on the east to a messuage or tenement of Mark Bossom, then since Ann Hide, then William Went towards the North, and to the garden of the heirs of John Lunsford towards the West. [On the deeds there is a marginal note bv Dr. Greenhill " Never in two tenements."] It is now occupied by an Italian manufacturer of ice-creams.
On page 155 is a rare view of a gabled house which stood at the sen end of Bourne Street.
