438 REPORT—1885. 
16. St. Leonards and Hastings. 
By RIcHARD B. GRANTHAM, F.G.S., M.Inst.C.E. 
1. St. Leonards and Hastings, Sussex. I have examined the coast from the east end 
of Hastings to the west boundary of St. Leonards, as shown on the accom- 
panying map on the Ordnance scale of 6 inches to a mile. 
2. Commencing at Ecclesbourne Glen, the cliffs of the Wealden formation on both 
sides of the glen attain a great height, and from the east side continue west- 
wards to the town of Hastings, generally about 200 feet high. The shore is 
covered by the rocks which have from time to time slipped from the cliff, and 
form beach varying from 20 to 70 feet wide. The erosion is caused by water 
behind the cracks and clefts in the face of the rocks forcing out the stone 
during frost, this being the chief cause. The height of the cliffs is from 80 to 
200 feet above Ordnance datum. There is a large groyne of stone at the 
Sewage Works, at which the stone beach ceases and the shingle beach begins; 
500 yards from there the buildings commence, and a quay wall at the Stade, 
opposite Market House, continues for a little more than two miles westward. 
This wall retains the roads in front of the two towns for that distance, and 
against it the shingle-beach rests. (See the 6-inch Ordnance Map.) 
3. The direction of the coast-line is from west to east by north. 
4. South-west. 
5. a. South-west wind and south wind as the direct wind on to the coast of Hastings 
and St. Leonards. e. From the westward. 
6. From west to east, which is shown by the accumulation on the west side of the 
groynes. 
7.a. The range is 24 feet. wb. The range is 17} feet. 
8. Shingle with sand. 
9. a. At Ecclesbourne the shingle is about 150 feet wide at high water, and at the 
Sewage Works about 200 feet, and continues pretty uniformly that width owing 
to the line of the retaining wall. e. From the westward. d. About 5 or 6 
inches diameter. e. There is nota continuous slope, as it is in steps at the line 
where the last and strongest force of the tides left the shingle-bank. 
10. I did not hear that there was any permanent accumulating or diminishing of 
the shingle except at the groynes, where it accumulates on the west sides of 
them, and against the face of the retaining wall, where in places as well as at 
the groynes the height was as much as 10 feet of accumulation. 
11. I did not see or hear of any diminution at any part of this length, and I should 
suppose that as the Wealden rock forms the bed upon which the shingle 
rested, there would be neither diminution nor abstraction. For the whole of 
this distance nearly the rock appears, and slopes towards the sea and there 
meets the sand. 
12. The groynes are very numerous, and in late years many more seem to have been 
placed all along this length except at the western end. [I have placed on the 
6-inch Ordnance Map all the additional groynes, as will be seen by the lines in 
pink colour.] They have all been built of oak-timber piles and deal planks, and 
are tied into the beach by trees of oak. They arrest the shingle, which accu- 
mulates on the west sides; in some places at their upper ends the beach is as 
much as from 6 feet to 10 feet higher than on the east sides. They are gene- 
rally placed at right angles to the front wall, and in some cases are upwards 
of 200 feet long, but generally 120 to 150 feet long. The distances apart vary 
very much, but the tops of them are level with one another in nearly all cases. 
The influence that they have exerted is to protect the wall or any building 
against which they abut. 
13. I could not discover or learn from any person that any materials were removed 
artificially or otherwise, but I believe that a strict watch is kept in order to 
prevent any removal. d. I heard of none and saw none. 
14. No. b. The cliffs, except east of the town, do not wear away, as they are pro- 
tected by houses or walls. 
16. There has been no increase of land by the accumulation of shingle. 
17. There are no ‘dunes’ in this district. 
18. I tried to get maps, sketches, or pictures, but I could not find any of value for 
the purposes of this inquiry. 
