Eastbourne and Hastings - Hastings from Foyle's War and William the Conqueror

Yesterday after we landed in London Gatwick Airport was a rather hazy blur, but I do remember arriving on the doorstep of our AirBnb about 4 hours early for checkin (because we were dopey and didn't remember we check in at 3pm).  Our host was kind and let us leave our luggage while he finished his preparations.  So, after a 10 hour flight, an hour train ride, a taxi ride, and walking around Eastbourne killing 3 hours and loading up on caffeine to stay awake, we dropped into bed like rocks at 5pm Eastbourne time on September 19.

Today, we exhausted ourselves doing laundry at the local Launderette, taking the train to Hastings for a nice long walk, and then walking all over Eastbourne again.  Here are the best photos from today and yesterday.

Eastbourne, East Essex, UK is not as old as some cities in the UK.  It is only a few miles from the larger and noisier Brighton and was developed when the Duke of Devonshire had 6 villages merge together in 1859. (Our host tells me that the wily Duke also owned all of Eastbourne outright and, when he sold it because he needed money, he retained the Covenants, which meant if anything was built his permission had to be obtained/bought.)  The Eastbourne pier was opened in 1870 and completed in 1872.  The majority of buildings seem to me to be very old.  Our host tells us that the home we are staying in is an interesting combination of Victorian and Edwardian architecture, fortunately more of the former.  (I gather Edwardian architecture was rather cramped.) The upstairs toilet that we use (don't call them bathrooms, the shower is in another room all together) currently requires the rod hanging from the ceiling to be pushed up and held, in order to flush the toilet.  The house has that not unpleasant scent of age that you rarely find anywhere that I have been in the U.S., even these old streets have the scent.  Parts of Alexandria, VA and Williamsburg come close, but not the same, in my opinion.

On our arrival yesterday, it was sunny and beautiful in Eastbourne

Today was overcast, 50-66 degrees, and rainy. This is one end of the street from the Launderette.

This is the other end of the street.

But, at sunset, the Eastbourne Pier glowed.

The street along the waterfront is full of hotels and condos.  This is one end of the street.

This is the other and it is a VERY long walk back to our Bnb from here.  If I don't get more fit, it won't be due to lack of walking.

Hastings, East Sussex, UK is the site of the 1066 battle with William the Conqueror (and, not as importantly, the site of the house that was used for Foyle's War, the British WWII police mystery TV series).  The ruined castle on the bluff overlooking Hastings was destroyed, not by the War of the Roses or either World War, but by a terrible storm in the 14th century that caused part of the castle to come down in an avalanche to bury a large part of Hastings, according to a woman at the local Council office.  She said that Hastings was an important economic and political site until that catastrophe.  Afterwards, it was "just a fishing village", as she said.

This looks like Diagon Alley to me.

Someone else thought so, too.

Steve finally found Foyle's house.

Old Town Parrish - St. Clement's Church.

Steve sat here for a very long time contemplating the Universe and Hastings.

There isn't much left of the castle, but what there was had kids all over it.

Tomorrow, we get new phone sim cards (ours are not working like Tmobile USA said they would) and a tour of London, if we have the strength.  We are thinking that we could ride the train and then ride the big red London tour bus most of the day - no walking to speak of - perfect.