Where the port of Hastings used to be

[seahermit]

I pinched this photo from the Observer site, because it is interesting and makes it very clear how the geography led to the "Bourne" area becoming a deep inlet and a harbour for boats.

I wonder what happened to the Bourne? Did it silt up along with the whole Stade area or is it still underground in a drain/culvert?

The history of this part of the coast is one of constantly eroding/evolving shorelines. The Priory Meadow area was once a swamp of course!

[Richard]

The 'Bourne' area was never a deep inlet.
A Bourne is an intermittent stream, flowing from a spring.
In the old town it used to be the source of the town’s fresh water.
The Bourne still runs underground out to the beach shingle and then sea.
At one time people threw waste into the Bourne which acted as a tidal sewer, removing effluent daily.
Water pooled in an area known as 'The Slough' and was released by the Bailiff of the Bourne, who would open a sluice gate once a day, to the accompaniment of a bell and flush the lower reaches of the stream to clear the detritus that clogged the lower channel.
The estuary of the Bourne stream was at the Sea Gate in the old Town Wall.