Bexhill (England, UK)

The arms were officially granted on January 21, 1907. The martlets are taken from the arms of the East Sussex CC and the mitre denotes the See of Chichester, which held the Manor of Bexhill from the time of the Conquest until the reign of Henry VIII, when it passed to Lord Buckhurst, ancestor of the present holder, Earl De La Warr, from whose crest the black star is taken. The gold lion joined to the stern of a silver ship, from the arms of the Cinque Ports, refers to the Liberty of the Sluice, a hamlet of Bexhill and a minor limb of Hastings. The mallard is from the arms of the first Earl Brassey, Mayor of Bexhill 1907-8, Warden of the Cinque Ports 1908-13, and who presented to the Corporation a mayoral chain of office. The sun and sea stand for Bexhill's character as a health resort. The crest shows one of the many towers built along this coast in preparation for Napoleon's expected invasion. (Heraldry of the World)

City: Bexhill-on-Sea
Kingdom: United Kingdom 
County: East Sussex 





Interesting Facts:

- The first reference to Bexhill, or Bexelei as it was originally called, was in a charter granted by King Offa of Mercia in 772 AD. It is recorded that King Offa had 'defeated the men of Hastings' in 771 AD.

In 1804 soldiers of the King's German Legion were stationed in barracks at Bexhill. These troops were Hanoverians who had escaped when their country was overrun by Napoleon's French Army.

Bob Marley's first ever UK gig was at the De La Warr Pavilion in July 1972.

It was the 8th Earl de la Warr who offered his sea front estate, because of its proximity to the ferries to the Continent, on which to host the first International Motor Race Meeting in this Country in 1902, in conjunction with the Automobile Club of Britain and Ireland, which later became the RAC.





Bexhill (March 2009)
These photos were taken on a way from Bexhill to central Hastings through the National Cycle Network Route 2. Those photos below are only inside the Bexhill area, to see the second part of route in Hastings area click here.
















 GPS



 Starting Line - 1902 - Commemorating the first international motor race meeting in Great Britain





Hastings (England, UK)


This is the coat of arms for the borough of Hastings. Contains two lions dimidiated with ships (a heraldic motif seen in many of the coats of arms of the Cinque Ports). Blazon: Party per pale gules and azure, a lion guardant passant or, between in chief and in base a lion passant guardant of the last dimidiated with the hulk of a ship argent. (Wikipedia)

City: Hastings
Kingdom: United Kingdom 
County: East Sussex 

A TIMELINE OF HASTINGS by TIM LAMBERT


My Commentary: Since I visited Hastings for the first time while living in England, it has become one of my favourite places in Britain. I like the ambient and the way the town is organised, it has varied attractions and it's full of History everywhere you go.



Interesting Facts:
- The first mention of Hastings is found in the late 8th century in the form Hastingas. This is derived from the Old English tribal name Hæstingas, meaning `the constituency/followers of Hæsta'.


- The name "Hastings" is given to the Battle of Hastings in 1066, when Normans invaded England


- The shingle beach known as The Stade (the old Saxon term meaning "landing place") is home to the biggest beach-launched fishing fleet in Britain


- Hasting has a museum named The True Crime Museum, focusing on the dark side of humanity









Hastings (March 2009)

These photos were taken on a way from Bexhill to central Hastings through the National Cycle Network Route 2. Those photos below are already in Hastings area, to see the first part of route in Bexhill area click here.

 GPS


   GPS

Bridge Way (a footbridge crossing over the railtrack)

 Bridge Way (a footbridge crossing over the railtrack)




 In front this huge train garage

  
 GPS

 Beautiful houses at Sea Road

More houses at Sea Road 


 Pause for toilet






































Hastings (July 2009)








 Pirate flag at  Hastings Old Town
Black flag at  Hastings Old Town 

Blackbeard 











Castle Hill Road







 Getting down the hill 

 The beach




 WWE DX event






Live folk music






Hastings (September 2009)

 East Hill lift: Upper Station

 Simply Italian

 Simply Italian








Hastings (December 2009)
 Central Hastings in the evening

A band of Mariners playing for Christmas






 View of the Hastings Castle behind the traditional buildings





Hastings Gift Shop - Hastings Rock




 Central Hastings