THE "AMERICA GROUND " OR THE DERELICT LANDS AT HASTINGS.
I am indebted to the Controller of His Majesty's Stationery Office for his permission to reproduce the Official Plan of the Derelict Lands at Hastings, and the Report of the Commissioners of His Majesty's Woods, Forests, and Land Revenues, to the Government, of the steps taken to determine by Act of Parliament the ownership of this waste land with the view of clearing the ground. This part of modern Hastings has undergone greater changes than any other spot in the Borough. It was left a waste by the reflux of the sea, and was outside the jurisdiction of the Corporation of Hastings. It may be defined as the present site now covered by Harold Place, the Queen's Hotel, Robertson Terrace, Carlisle Parade, Robertson Street, Trinity Street, and Claremont, and formed the mouth of the Old Haven depicted in the Map of Hastings of 1746, shewn on another page. The inhabitants of Hastings took possession without leave, licence, or interference, and built houses, shanties, warehouses, and other erections, for which they paid no rent or consideration. The result was that frequent tumults arose, and the place became a " No Man's Land," as it was sometimes called. The Corporation approached the Government to take some steps to get rid of the nuisance.
This was ultimately done, then followed the development of building operations and the erection of the fine streets, terraces and parade, already mentioned. The series of views are arranged so as to shew the reader the gradual changes effected in this locality from 1834 to the present day.
Official Report (published by permission).
- " Extract from the Seventh Report of the Commissioners of His Majesty's Woods, Forests and Land Revenues ; being the First Annual Report of the said Commissioners."
- " In obedience to an Act passed in the 10th year of the Reign of His Majesty George IV., instituted k An Act to consolidate and amend the Laws relating to the Management and Improvement of His Majesty's Woods, Forests, Parks and Cha?es, of the Land Revenue of the Crown within the Survey of the Exchequer in England, etc' "
- [These Derelict Lands, which will be seen by the annexed Plan, included that portion of the Coast line from the West bank of the Priory Water (West of present Memorial to Claremont) and described in the Report to the Lords Commissioners. These Lands were commonly called " The America Ground," "No Man's Land," or "The Desert," and formed the present site of Harold Place, Carlisle Parade, Robertson Terrace, Robertson Street, Trinity Street and Claremont, and was for ages part of the bed of The Haven and -
