Hastings Fishermen's Museum
A Great Way to Spend Time in One of the Historic Cinque Ports.
Jun 6, 2009
The building that now houses the museum was originally built with a different purpose. In the middle of the 19th Century, there was concern about the moral welfare of the fishing community and so a “chapel of ease” was built, completed in 1856. This type of building comes under a parish, but is built for ease of access by a particular community. This chapel was built right on the beach, close to the fishing boats.
It was a popular church and used continuously until the Second World War when it became a store and stripped of many of its fittings. However, the choir gallery and font still remain.
The Impact of War
After the war, the Fishermen’s church was left empty, but in 1956, it was turned into the museum. However its religious connections have not been entirely lost. There is a carol service held at Christmas, and members of the fishing community are still given the privilege of having their children baptised in the building. A list of these children can be seen near the font.
The Museum Today
The museum is run by the Old Hastings Preservation Society, a charity which works for the protection and promotion of Hastings Old Town.
The largest exhibit in the museum is a boat called “The Enterprise”, which was the last fully sailing lugger in the Hastings Fleet. This vessel dominates the museum and could only be installed in the building after a wall had been pulled down. It is possible to climb onto the boat and get a feel for conditions aboard.
There is also a capstan in the museum, originally used to help pull boats up onto the beach, from the days when this was done by horse power.
There are a number of photographs in the museum. Some show the history of the area, and significant local events, such as Churchill’s visit to the town. Other pictures are more modern, and form part of a large exhibit describing the fishing industry today. Fishing in Hastings goes back over 900 years and many of the families still working on the boats can trace their ancestors through many generations. This exhibition also includes models of the nets used to catch fish.
The Museum is open from 10am to 5pm every day and is free to enter. However, donations are very welcome to support the work of the Old Hastings Preservation Society.
The full address of the museum is Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3DW. There is a large public car park behind the museum, accessible from Rock-a-Nore Road.
