Talk:Hastings

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On the project page you can find detailed guides on how to write about counties and settlements, as well as where to find statistics, references and other useful things. Additionally, the following have been identified as specific improvements this article needs: Cite sources! The battle should be summarised in the history section. I suggest making a History of Hastings page and turning the history section into a 5-6 paragraph summary section, and perhaps remove the subheadings from this article (single paragraphs do not need their own sections!). Fishing... isn't that part of the economy? Most UK geography articles have "Economy & industry" together in a section, consider using that here. Lists are frowned on: consider prosifying the people list, and/or making a category instead.

Well for my part I don't see that the history section is currently longer than what you suggest, and anyway is certainly not excessive for an historic town article. Nor is the list of past residents excessive, and it does add interest to the article to see them here rather than in a separate entry somewhere. Overall the article is not excessively long, so does not need pruning for length. Sandpiper 08:54, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

Contents 1 First post made to discussion page 2 Current Residents 3 Former Residents 4 Image 5 .. not a Roman settlement .. 6 Economic and social status 7 Nazis 8 Pier 9 Leadership; Micheal Foster 10 Map/picture 11 Trains

[edit] First post made to discussion page

This entry needs further additions to make it useful. I have added notes on two key texts and a comment on curent developments - but I admit this is sketchy and to be useful needs much further work.

It is now much improved, though does still read a bit like an ad. Sandpiper 08:42, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Current Residents

A reader passed on these comments on the help desk e-mail.

I have just read your article on Hastings, East Sussex which I thought was excellent. One small point: In your list of current residents you have a link to Emma B, but the link takes you to an article about Emma B, presenter, rather than Emma B, model. They are two different people - I know because Emma B (model) was in my year at school!

I fixed the reference. I also removed a couple of joke suggestions placed by anonymous editors. I would appreciate someone else doublechecking the others on the list. Well done to the editors who worked on the article Capitalistroadster 23:46, 30 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Former Residents

This might sound crazy but my nan told me that Donovan lived in some caves for a while in the 1960's. Should he be added to the list?

Freshprince 13:39, 4 March 2006 (UTC)

Guys I just added Screaming Lord Sutch to the former residents list. This is my first Wiki edit so if I should have done any thing different let me know. Cheers

There's a bit of inconsistency in this section. Some people are listed with DOB/DOD and most aren't. Perhaps this information is not needed as it can be found by following the wiklinks. 89.240.13.14 21:19, 22 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Image

[[Image:Television.JPG|none|thumb|280px|One of the most significant inventions of the last 100 years took place in Queens Arcade, Hastings]]

I removed this image, as it not only didn't fit correctly in to the page layout but it's inappropriate since the text doesn't mention it at all in any way. There's no point just pasting in images just because they exist when they dont add to the quality of the article. -- Lewis 16:43, 14 March 2006 (UTC)

It's not my picture but why not use the pic, formatted correctly, and add a comment/section that Hastngs is the home of the TV. --Chris 16:52, 14 March 2006 (UTC)

Sure go ahead dude. I just meant it was pointless how it was, I'm sure it can be used. Just keep an eye on how many images are already in the article. -- Lewis 16:56, 14 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] .. not a Roman settlement ..

I would dispute this, as would Rex Marchant in his book Hastings Past (Phillimore, 1997). Even if it wasn't on a par with Fishbourne it was extremely important as a source of iron for the Romans, and as the port from which the iron was shipped. The site at Beauport Park was one of the largest in the Roman Empire, reckoned to have employed 1000 men. Marchant refers to the Saxon appellation of Hastingaceastre to support his case.

The Iron Age fort on the East Hill was described in 1990 as "one of the best preserved and most impressive earthworks in East Sussex" by the County Archaeologist, so "traces" is a little dismissive.

It is often wrongly assumed - as is the case here - that the Old Town is the original site of the port. Marchant shows that the Hastingas had their original settlement in the Bulverhythe/Pebsham area (-hythe being the Saxon name for a port). They later moved to the Priory, where the stream gave a better place for a port, protected from the SW storms by the White Rock. It was only after violent storms and ravages by the Danes on the early 11th century that the town once more relocated to the old Town valley, and the Domesday Book refers to the new Borough (New Burg). Peter Shearan 06:45, 7 April 2006 (UTC)

I have changed the history section to bring it into line with my comments above; have slightly changed the Geography section to include the population stats; and added some more historical residents Peter Shearan 14:35, 7 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Economic and social status

An unknown editor deleted the first two paragraphs of this section (See [revision]). I have reinstated them because they seem relevant and fairly neutral in POV except:

• Last sentence of para 1 seems redundant.
• Last sentence of para 2 could be contrued as non-neutral? Perhaps the word "Hampered" is a bit strong? "Complicated" better?

Before we get into an edit war, perhaps we can discuss any issues here?

Regards, --Paul Adams 21:56, 16 June 2006 (UTC)

I've just chopped two paragraphs as the were repeated later in the section. The ones deleted didn't fit the chronological flow. Sharm 14:44, 19 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Nazis

Hi all!

I was recently on holiday in this part of england, and I saw a few of these about:

I was wondering if there was a big anti-nazi movement in hastings, or if this is just run of the mill vandalism. Maybe it's a reminder of Hastings important role in the war?

Thanks, Thε Halo ^Θ 19:07, 11 July 2006 (UTC)

Hi 'The Halo', there may well of been filming for Foyle's War, which incase you didn't know is set during world war two, maybe there are a few props around that have been forgotten.Freshprince 14:52, 29 August 2006 (UTC)

It's against the local BNP party.

[edit] Pier

I was surprised that there was no mention of the closure of the pier, so I've done that. If anyone knows of any plans (real plans, not just whining and wailing from the owners!) to fix it, please add to the page. At that point, information about the pier should probably get its own section. DrHydeous 20:31, 6 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Leadership; Micheal Foster

MP is Labour. Although the council is Conservative (I think), this seems misleading. Is there a way to change this or does 'executive' mean the council?

Executive does indeed mean the council's executive, which is formed from Conservative councillors. Morwen - Talk 08:34, 26 October 2006 (UTC)

Though not as a mandated requirement, merely as a result of election Sandpiper 08:36, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Map/picture

The map (with the red dot) at the top of the page is really far off, the dot isn't even near the sea! let alone far enough east. It's somewhere near London. Can someone change it?

Unfortunately, the map and dot system has a bug. It appears in different places depending on your browser. For me, IE7 is showing it near Chichester, and Firefox shows it near Godalming. MortimerCat 01:18, 20 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Trains

Isn't the detailed information on trains and carriages etc a little too detailed for an article about the town. Wouldn't it be better in a history section in the Marshlink Line article? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 89.240.13.14 (talk) 20:58, 22 March 2007 (UTC).

Sorry, I meant the SER article not the marshlink. 89.240.7.88 10:40, 23 March 2007 (UTC)

Have moved the detailed historical text here in case it can be used in another article. The links provide information for anyone seeking more detailed rail history.89.240.7.88 10:49, 23 March 2007 (UTC)

The ex-SER route suffered for many years from the narrowness of some of its tunnels, so that special locomotives and rolling stock had to be built to meet the restricted loading gauge, for instance the Southern Railway's Schools Class and later the flat-sided Class 33 diesel - 12 Locomotives, coded on TOPS as 33/2 and universally known as 'Slim Jims', as well as Class 205 'Thumper' DEMUs. This problem was eventually overcome, permitting the electrification of this line in 1986 and much improved services.