Hastings
East Sussex |
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Hastings is a town and local government district in South East
England, in the county of East Sussex. Hastings was one of the
Cinque Ports, but its significance as a port declined after the
19th Century and its main industry became fishing. It is best
known for its connection with the Battle of Hastings 1066, which
actually occurred eight miles north of the town at Senlac Hill;
the battle is commemorated today in the town of Battle. The battle
took place on the 14th of October after William had landed on
the coast between Hastings and Eastbourne at a site now known
as Norman's Bay. During the battle William defeated and killed
Harold Godwinson, the last Saxon King of England, and destroyed
his army thus opening England to the Norman conquest. After the
conquest, William built the first Norman castle at Hastings,
as depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry, probably using the earthworks
of the existing Saxon castle. The view is from the West Hill
looking east to the old town, the East Hill and The Stade or
'landing place' which is home to Europe's largest beach-launched
fishing fleet. |
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