Stonebeach

This small area of waste-ground immediately outside of the Pulpit Gate (Town Wall) has a few interesting provisions in leases granted by the Corporation in the 17th Century according to J. Manwaring Baines;

In one, dated 1667, a small hut let to George Broadbridge (a fisherman), there is this note; "free liberty for all persons to sitt and ridd their hoocks and lines under the Wall of the said Shop as hitherto they have done under the said Towne Wall there allwaies excepted and reserved".

Samuel Percy, a shipwright, was granted a lease in 1675 of another strip in the parish of All Saints "without the walls of the Towne between the East Fort and the wall of the stepps leading up to the Pulpit Gate of said Towne", on condition that the "free passage, use and playing of and for ye Guns and other artillerie of and belonging to said Fort alwaies reserved and excepted".

The term stonebeach was later utilised to refer to various other areas of Beach such as those discussed during the 19th century in connection with land clearances and promenade extensions by Thomas Brett in his Manuscript Histories.