designer and Mr. Burchell (both Hastings men) was the mason. All inhabitants of the town who were interested in the restoration of a church which was town property must have noticed with pleasure the gradual replacing stone windows for the barbarous wooden ones, the renovation of the belfry door and window, and other improvements which were effected in this church, and, above all, the beautiful stained window and stone reredos erected as a Foyster testimonial. The subscriptions to the restoration and testimonial fund were sufficient to cover the original estimate, but it was found in carrying on the work that the wall at the east end of the church was in such a crumbling condition that it was necessary to renew it, which entailed an additional outlay of between thirty and forty pounds, which I believe, was afterwards obtained in a second subscription.
Congregational Church. Although the movement for the erection of the Holy Trinity Church for the parish of that name preceded the same action for the Dissenters' place of worship in the same neighbourhood, the preliminary negotiations and the abandonment of the first selected site in the Step Meadow, gave the opportunity for the Congregationalists to be first to commence operations. It was thought, however that, as in the case of St Mary Magdalen Church and the Convent, so in this case, the rivalry of sects had the effect of augmenting the subscriptions. The laying of the foundation stone of the Congregational Church was performed on Thursday, Sept 4th in the presence of a large concourse of friends and others. The stone was laid by Apsley Pellatt, Esq. M.P. At a tea-meeting in the evening at the Swan Hotel, it was stated that the ground was leased for 99 years at a rental of £32, with a purchase clause of 5, 10 or 15 years for £800 - not a bad bargain, presumably for the vendor.
For the Holy Trinity Church, operations were commenced two months later, by the Rev. G. D. St. Quintin breaking ground in the Step Meadow, immediately behind where anciently stood the Priory of the Holy Trinity, but which site had afterwards to be abandoned, the soil being thought not to afford a sufficiently secure foundation.
The All Saints' Curate - the Rev. E. Smepp, was at this time presented with a service of plate by the inhabitants of Northiam, among whom he lately resided.
The Croft Chapel Pastor - the Rev.George Stewart - also at the same time took his departure for Mitcham, taking with the good wishes of the Hastings congregation of "Independents". Mr. Stewart was one of the persons appointed to collect subscriptions for the Congregational Church in Robertson street and Cambridge. When noticing the stone-laying of this structure, I might have said that it was-
