HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



33 



be composed of massive sandstone, and to rise to a 

 height of about 200 ft. Rock of a similar kind is 

 visible in the Castle Hill, west of the valley in which 

 the old town lies. As we look eastward, however, 

 we notice that the sandstone beds, which form almost 

 the whole of the East Cliff, rise gently in the direction 

 of Fairlight Glen and Lover's Seat, while below 

 them a walk along the shore will reveal a greater and 

 greater thickness of strata of a mainly clayey nature. 

 Below Lover's Seat there is much undercliff, and the 

 only rocks visible are 1 massive sandstone capping the 

 hill and mottled clay on the foreshore. 



In this mottled clay, which belongs to the series of 

 beds known as the Fairlight Clay, we have the lowest 

 strata belonging to the Hastings Sands, and the 

 lowest visible in this south-eastern district except the 

 Purbeck Beds near Battle. The overlying sand- 

 stone beds of the East Cliff and Castle Hill belong to 

 the Ashdown Sands. But a little eastward of 

 Hastings Pier a fault, having a downthrow to the west, 

 throws down sandstone belonging to the higher 



which comes out to sea at Folkestone. Westward, 

 beyond Pevensey Level, we see the South Downs 

 jutting into the sea at Beachy Head ; for we are now 

 on the highest point of the coast between the North 

 and South Downs. In addition to the enjoyment of 

 a magnificent panoramic view, we also attain to a true 

 perception of the proportions of the great anti- 

 clinal of the Weald, in the centre of which we are 

 standing. It is seldom indeed that so good an 

 opportunity occurs of noting the true nature of an 

 important anticlinal as compared with the figures 

 given in geological manuals.* 



The second spot is Hastings Castle Hill. But the 

 best place for a view is not within the walls of the 

 castle, but at a point sixty or seventy yards northward. 

 The Castle Hill, at the southern or seaward end of 

 which the castle stands, broadens and also increases 

 gently in height northwards. But on the southern 

 end there is a little knoll, the sides of which become 

 steeper and steeper towards the sea, and on this 

 knoll is the castle. Examination of the ground 



N.N.E. 



EDGE OF 

 OLD 



EARTHWORK 



s.s.vv. 



Fig. 14.— Section through ancient Earth-works and Castle, Hastings. 



Tunbridge Wells series against the Ashdown Beds. 

 This fault is known as the White Rock Fault. Thus, 

 while Hastings stands upon Ashdown Sands, its 

 modern suburb, St. Leonards, is built chiefly on 

 Tunbridge Wells Sand. 



Two spots in this district are worthy of special 

 mention as affording views of unusual extent and 

 interest. The first is the coast-guard station at 

 Fairlight. The view from this point is not so well 

 known as might be expected, because most of the 

 visitors to the bold and picturesque cliffs east of 

 Hastings, whether driving or on foot, seldom go 

 beyond Lover's Seat. Nevertheless, the most 

 •extensive views are those obtainable after cross- 

 ing the glen beyond jLover's Seat, and ascending 

 to the coast-guard station beyond. From St. 

 Leonards to this point the cliffs gradually rise, 

 while they sink with much greater rapidity hence 

 towards Dungeness. Close . to the coast-guard 

 station the new ordnance map shows a height of 

 478 ft. Gazing eastward, we look down on Rye and 

 -ilsea, and across the broad fiat of Romney 

 Marsh to the long chalk ridge of the North Downs, 



shows that while the mediaeval castle occupies only 

 the southern half of the knoll, the whole of it 

 was fortified in prehistoric times. A bank of earth 

 of considerable height still surrounds its northern 

 end, where the natural strength of the position is 

 least, and dies away as the slopes steepen on the 

 eastern and western flanks. The builders of the 

 mediaeval castle, not wishing to occupy so much 

 ground as the owners of the prehistoric entrench- 

 ment, cut a deep and broad ditch across the rock 

 from east to west, so as to separate the portion they 

 required from the rest of the ancient stronghold, in 

 the manner shown in the diagram section above. 



From the northern edge of the ancient fortress the 

 spectator can survey, looking eastward, the " old 

 town " of Hastings in the valley and the East Cliff 

 beyond. Gazing westward we may see the rest of 

 Hastings and St. Leonards, and in the distance the 

 long chalk ridge ending at Beachy Head. Northward 

 the ground gradually rises, but for three or four miles 



* For a full account of the geology both of Hastings and of 

 the Weald district generally, see the " Geological Survey 

 Memoir." by Mr. W. Topley. 



