St Helens Road

[Michael]

We moved down to Hastings, to St Helens Road, 3 years ago, attracted by the vibrancy of the town and the exciting changes that it is going through. We are also a young family, having had babies in that time. It has been brilliant fun, and fascinating to watch the town change seemingly so rapidly in the time that we've been here. To watch houses/streets being done up, and to meet so many fellow newcomers to the town, all sharing their experiences, and all so passionate about the town and its future!

I love this bit of town! I've written at length and quite passionately before about the wonderland that is Alexandra Park - it is a vast, varied, utterly beautiful and magical place - truly one of the best urban parks I have ever explored. As is St Helens Woods, a small leapfrog away. It is obviously an excellent area for the kids! Alexandra Park itself is listed by English Heritage, and most of the surrounding streets are conservation areas. It is wonderful to see so many of these buildings finally being lovingly restored and appreciated!

In terms of its position in town, it is smack bang in the middle - by foot: 5mins to the town centre, 12mins over the East Hill to the Old Town, and 22mins to St Leonards (fast becoming one of my favourite parts of town, with all the excellent galleries, cafes, and quirky independent shops continually opening up there!) Although St Leonards and in particular, the Old Town probably grab the most attention, the town centre really intrigues me! Architecturally, at its very centre, the bones of the place are beautiful, especially Trinity Triangle, and many of the views it opens up, like the one towards the castle ruins on the East Hill from Robertson Street. Exploration of the area will reveal many quirky shops and cafes that have opened up in the last few years. It is bubbling with excitement! I can't wait to see what the completion of the restoration of the pier will bring to this bit of town, being so close!

I think I often sound so enthusiastic about the town that I'm in danger of sounding like I'm being paid to advertise it or something! But in truth, I find it really difficult not to sound like this! Two couples-friends (if that makes sense) have actually moved down here after visiting and being seduced by the place! One couple on a temporary rent basis while they try out the commute to London.

It is an addictive place, and you very quickly fall in love with its totally unique vibrancies and charms!

GOOD POST.

[Geoff]

Yes, great post RLP

[Richard]

Can't argue with that and the Pier looks like it will be the biggest and most popular present ever, for Hastings to look forward to, and is sure to attract many tourists.

As for St Helens Road, there is a sharp divide on the other side of the rail bridge, with worker's style 'cottages' built around the late 1860's in evidence, much smaller in scale and no doubt built to serve the developments such as Blacklands and the earlier Gas- Works and places such as Decorators Merchants, where Tressell once worked.
Some buildings were built as furniture repositories or used for fruit and vegetable stores or acted as homes for cab-drivers and their stables, with smaller shops stretching further down Queen's Road, to supply their needs.
It would be interesting to see, from maps, how Queens Road developed, as St Helens Road and Blacklands seem to have been borne out of a slightly later push to attract wealthier residents.
Many of the properties along the lower (rail bridge) end of St Helens Road appear to have developed on land formerly owned by large houses along Baldslow road, whose owners gradually sold off their steeply sloping - and otherwise hard to manage grounds - for development.
Will the new (and hotly contested 'Bypass') affect the traffic much?
Well that remains to be seen.