Rape of Hastings Historic Buildings

English Heritage summaries. 2006/2007

This project has two main elements. The first relates to specialist work to undertake the analysis, synthesis and publication of a large sample of previously recorded domestic buildings of pre-1750 date located within a 250 square mile area in eastern Sussex, known as ‘the Rape of Hastings’. The second element forms a two-year training placement in the recording and analysis of historic buildings from the South East of England.

The Rape of Hastings includes 36 rural parishes (plus substantial parts of three others) and four towns, located within the heavily wooded and undulating High Weald geological region.  In terms of domestic architecture (size, plan form and constructional details) the study area is representative of the historical houses which survive over a large part of the counties of Kent and East and West Sussex.  Many of those which survive in the Downland areas are now encased in flint, whilst those within the Weald are today largely tile hung and brick underbuilt, but these differences represent relatively recent modifications.   On account of their number, age, and quality of finish, collectively the surviving historic houses and farm buildings of the region form a nationally important concentration and make an important contribution to the area‘s distinctive character.  The project aims to make synthetic information on these buildings available to local Conservation Officers, Conservation Architects and other professionals in order to assist them in making meaningful decisions regarding the future of the built environment as well as raise and support public awareness and appreciation.

The purpose of the training programme is to provide practical experience of historic building recording and analysis within a working environment, with particular emphasis on honing skills of interpretation and presentation.  The trainee will also obtain an understanding of the legislative framework for the historic environment; of the construction of historic buildings; of the history and development of different building types through observation, recording and research; the skills and experience to be able to carry out analysis and synthesis of buildings.

The final outputs of the project will include: stand-alone reports on the town of Hastings, the town of Battle, rural houses in the Rape of Hastings, and houses within the historic villages in the Rape of Hastings; a fully illustrated synthetic monograph covering rural, village and town houses in the eastern High Weald; an integrated on-line database; an illustrated manual of terminology for building elements.

This page was published on 07/06/2007