High Street

This Grade II-listed, four-bedroom duplex apartment extends across the first and second floors of a building that shares the rich history of Hastings. Covering more than 1,325 sq ft, it is located on the high street in the heart of Hastings Old Town. The house has had a plethora of commercial and domestic uses over the centuries; the core of the building, believed to date from the 17th century, was repurposed from an earlier Wealden hall house, while additions to the front rooms and the street-facing façade were made at the turn of the 19th century. The interconnecting Medieval and Georgian components of the building have resulted in its wonderful split-level plan.

Setting the Scene

The town of Hastings rose to prominence following the Norman Conquest in 1066, becoming strategically vital for trade with the continent as one of the ‘cinque ports’ of Kent. These semi-autonomous regions largely controlled all trade between the kingdoms of the British Isles and mainland Europe. However, political change, the increased size of merchant ships, and violent storms contributed to the area’s decline as a shipping hub in the late Medieval period. The town did not develop much further until its renaissance, which began in the 18th century. Around this time, with rising instability on mainland Europe and, later, the threat of Napoleonic invasion looming, defensive garrisons began to crop up in the area, making the most of the town’s strategic positioning.

The Grand Tour