Harbors. They’re a useful invention, likely originating atavistically as fisherman piled large rocks and dead tree trunks along the predominantly windward side of some bay to form a basic breakwater. Otherwise, per biblical movie classics that featured “Christ: the Early Years”, you were stuck hauling your fishing boat up and down the beach.

It’s a simple solution, and avoids harbor fees and sometimes tricky approaches in tiny fishing ports. Just point at the beach and get dragged up it. If you go to Hastings, located on East Sussex southeast coast of Britain, you’ll see that this approach continues. Hastings has a fairly standard pedestrianized new downtown, which is where the railway station is, but walk east along the coast road past Hastings Castle to the former medieval core, which is along Old London Road and nestled just west of the high ground at East Hill. The fishing operation is spread along the pebble beach to the south.

Hastings Beach with East Hill Beyond

Hastings. Source: Google Maps.

Apart from the old town and the beach, you can get a view over the channel on East Hill, which you can access from the old town, either up a staircase or a funicular tram.

Historical Detour. Hastings is famous for its association with the rout of the Anglo-Saxon kings of England by Norman invaders in October 1066, specifically King Harold, who received an arrow in the eye at the Battle of Hastings, ending his reign and everything else. England’s conquest by William the Conqueror followed.

Source: Bayeux Tapestry.

This is still a sore point in England, even though the Anglo-Saxons were themselves Germanic invaders, who spent much of their time fighting Nordic invaders and had to contend with a major Danish presence based mostly in East Anglia and the Midlands in the 9th and 10th centuries, and ongoing warfare. Indeed, Harold had won a victory over Norwegian invaders (who had allied with his brother Tostig) at the Battle of Stamford Bridge three weeks previously. Harold, having secured his kingdom for the time being, then had to move almost 200 miles from East Yorkshire to face the Normans. The Normans, who were Norse invaders who had settled in Normandy, weren’t even French, thus failing the most basic requirement to be an historical enemy. Indeed, the French kings hated and distrusted the Normans, regarding them as interlopers, and were glad to seem them fighting someone else. For the Anglo-Saxon rulers of Britain, it was a disaster, with most of the native aristocracy being gone by the time of William the Conqueror’s death in 1087.

Non-native speakers wonder why modern English is so hard to learn and is full of inconsistencies. In part, because sea travel was far more efficient than land travel in earlier eras, the island was relatively open to invasion by Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Danes and Normans, which caused the language to evolve haphazardly.

This has little to do with fishing. Nor does Hastings have much to do with the Battle of Hastings, which in fact happened about 6 miles inland, at a place called (surprise) Battle, where there is a national park on the likely battlefield and an abbey (established by William) to commemorate his victory. Hastings is thus a bad place to understand the battle of 1066, apart from it being a possible landing ground for the Norman longboats (per their Nordic heritage) that would have juddered up the pebble beach to take on the Anglo-Saxons. So back to fishing.

Source: Bayeux Tapestry.

Modern technology in the form of tracked earthmovers and winches now assist in the recovery of the fishing boats. Some boats have a three-pointed metal ski arrangement to avoid hull and propeller damage during the drag and to maintain stability once on dry land; it also provides some ballast I suppose. There is also a local fishing museum, not least to remind you what a dangerous profession it is. A diesel engine and a powered winch will only get you so far.

Logistics. Hastings is an easy drive or train ride from the London area. The railway station is located in the new town. If you want to get lunch, there are decent fish & chip places like The Mermaid, and The Dolphin Inn keeps good fresh local beer taps going. Both are located along Rock-a-Nore Road just south of East Hill.

Hastings Beach looking towards Hastings Castle