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51-578: The Eastbourne Gazette , commonly known as just The Gazette , was a weekly tabloid newspaper, printed on Wednesdays and published from 1859 to 2016 in Eastbourne , England . The Gazette was the town's first newspaper. Later, the paper was edited and created by Beckett Newspapers , based in Eastbourne, and printed by Johnston Press at their headquarters in Hilsea , Portsmouth . Aleister Crowley once edited

102-588: A chess column for the paper. From September 2015 until its closure it relaunched itself briefly as a free broadsheet. The Gazette also had a sister newspaper, owned by Beckett Newspapers, called the Eastbourne Herald . The Herald is printed on a Friday and is more expensive than the Gazette. Eastbourne was one of the few remaining towns in the UK which had a midweek paid-for newspaper as well as an end-of-week title until

153-451: A general practitioner serving the town's wealthier patients, was arrested for the murder of an elderly widow . Rumours had been circulating since 1935 regarding the frequency of his being named in patients' wills (132 times between 1946 and 1956 ) and the gifts he was given (including two Rolls-Royces ). Figures of up to 400 murders were reported in British and foreign newspapers, but, after

204-438: A coin minted during the reign of Æthelberht II of East Anglia (died 794), in a field near the town. It is believed that the minting of these coins may have led to Æthelberht's beheading by Offa of Mercia , as it had been struck as a sign of independence. Describing the coin, expert Christopher Webb, said, "This new discovery is an important and unexpected addition to the numismatic history of eighth century England." Following

255-541: A controversial trial at the Old Bailey , which gripped the nation for 17 days in March 1957, Adams was found not guilty . He was struck off for four years but resumed his practice in Eastbourne in 1961. According to Scotland Yard 's archives, he is thought to have killed up to 163 patients in the Eastbourne area. After the war, development continued, including the growth of Old Town up the hillside (Green Street Farm Estate) and

306-512: A dissertation by Richard Russell extolled the medicinal benefits of the seaside. His views were of considerable benefit to the south coast and, in due course, Eastbourne became known as "the Empress of Watering Places". Eastbourne's earliest claim as a seaside resort came about following a summer holiday visit by four of King George III 's children in 1780 (Princes Edward and Octavius and Princesses Elizabeth and Sophia ). In 1793, following

357-469: A fire broke out in the basement of the Claremont Hotel . The nearby Pier Hotel was also evacuated. Eastbourne Local History Society was founded in 1970. It is a charitable, not-for-profit organisation in whose objective is the pursuit and encouragement of an active interest in the study of the history of Eastbourne and its immediate environs and the dissemination of the outcome of such studies. As

408-426: A key feature of Eastbourne. As a seaside resort, Eastbourne derives a large and increasing income from tourism, with revenue from traditional seaside attractions augmented by conferences, public events and cultural sightseeing. The other main industries in Eastbourne include trade and retail, healthcare, education, construction, manufacturing, professional scientific and the technical sector. Eastbourne's population

459-669: A landing stage and stream at Burne. The original name came from the 'Burne' or stream which ran through today's Old Town area of Eastbourne. All that can be seen of the Burne, or Bourne, is the small pond in Motcombe Gardens. The bubbling source is guarded by a statue of Neptune . Motcombe Gardens are overlooked by St. Mary's Church, a Norman church which allegedly lies on the site of a Saxon 'moot', or meeting place. This gives Motcombe its name. In 2014, local metal-detectorist Darrin Simpson found

510-543: A population of less than 4,000 in 1851 to nearly 35,000 by 1891. In 1883, it was incorporated as a municipal borough ; a purpose-built town hall was opened in 1886. This period of growth and elegant development continued for several decades. During the First World War , Summerdown Camp, a convalescent facility, opened in 1915 near the South Downs to treat soldiers who were injured during trench warfare or seriously ill. It

561-527: A storm of protest led by the newly formed Eastbourne and District Preservation Committee, which later became Eastbourne Civic Society, and was renamed the Eastbourne Society in 1999. Local conservationists also failed to prevent the construction of the glass-plated TGWU conference and holiday centre (the building now operating as The View Hotel), but were successful in purchasing Polegate Windmill , thus saving it from demolition and redevelopment. Most of

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612-514: A survey of coastal defences in the southeast, approval was given for the positioning of infantry and artillery to defend the bay between Beachy Head and Hastings from attack by the French. Fourteen Martello Towers were constructed along the western shore of Pevensey Bay , continuing as far as Tower 73, the Wish Tower at Eastbourne. Several of these towers survive: the Wish Tower is an important feature of

663-472: A survivor of the Black Hole of Calcutta atrocity which led to the British conquest of Bengal . Richard Trevithick , the inventor of the steam locomotive, is reported to have spent some time here. Eastbourne remained an area of small rural settlements until the 19th century. Four villages or hamlets occupied the site of the modern town: Bourne (or, to distinguish it from others of the same name, East Bourne)

714-472: A town named Burlington, was abandoned, but on 14 May 1849 the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway arrived to scenes of great jubilation. With the arrival of the railway, the town's growth accelerated. Cavendish, now the 7th Duke of Devonshire , recruited Henry Currey in 1859 to lay out a plan for what was essentially an entire new town – a resort built "for gentlemen by gentlemen". The town grew rapidly from

765-532: A very well-preserved human skeleton. The Beachy Head Lady is the most complete skeleton in the collection. Radiocarbon dating suggested a date range of 125 to 245 AD for the remains. Isotope analysis indicated that the Beachy Head Lady grew up in south-east England, and may have been born in the region. Initially, the skull shape led to an assessment that the woman had originated from Sub-Saharan Africa . This led some to claim erroneously that she had been

816-825: A woman who lived around 245   AD were discovered in the vicinity of Beachy Head on the Eastbourne Downland Estate . The remains were found in 2014 to be of a 30-year-old woman who grew up in East Sussex , but had genetic heritage from sub-Saharan Africa, giving her black skin and an African skeletal structure. Her ancestors came from below the Saharan region, at a time when the Roman Empire extended only as far as North Africa. These remains have now been DNA tested and found to originate from Cyprus , not sub-Saharan Africa. An Anglo-Saxon charter, around 963 AD, describes

867-580: Is Seaford to Beachy Head . This site, of biological and geological interest, covers the coastline between Eastbourne and Seaford, plus the Seven Sisters country park and the Cuckmere valley. Several nature trails lead across the Downs to areas such as the nearby villages of East Dean and Birling Gap , and landmarks like the Seven Sisters, Belle Tout Lighthouse and Beachy Head. Eastbourne's greater area comprises

918-469: Is also a local government district with borough status . Eastbourne is immediately east of Beachy Head , the highest chalk sea cliff in Great Britain and part of the larger Eastbourne Downland Estate . The seafront consists largely of Victorian hotels, a pier , theatre , contemporary art gallery and a Napoleonic era fort and military museum . Although Eastbourne is a relatively new town, there

969-452: Is commemorated by a plaque on chalet number 2 at Holywell. The Second World War saw a change in fortunes. Initially, children were evacuated to Eastbourne on the assumption that they would be safe from German bombs, but soon they had to be evacuated again because after the fall of France in June 1940 it was anticipated that the town would lie in an invasion zone. Part of Operation Sea Lion ,

1020-550: Is currently owned by the Duke of Devonshire and was extensively remodelled in the early Georgian era when it was renamed Compton Place . It is one of the two Grade I listed buildings in the town. Eastbourne has Cornish connections , most notably visible in the Cornish high cross in the churchyard of St Mary's Church which was brought from an unspecified location in Cornwall. In 1752,

1071-473: Is evidence of human occupation in the area from the Stone Age . The town grew as a fashionable tourist resort largely thanks to prominent landowner William Cavendish , later to become the Duke of Devonshire . Cavendish appointed architect Henry Currey to design a street plan for the town, but not before sending him to Europe to draw inspiration. The resulting mix of architecture is typically Victorian and remains

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1122-511: Is growing; between 2001 and 2011, it increased from 89,800 to 99,412. The 2011 census shows that the average age of residents has decreased as the town has attracted students, families and those commuting to London and Brighton. In the 2021 census, the population of Eastbourne was 101,689. Flint mines and Stone Age artefacts have been found in the surrounding countryside of the Eastbourne Downs . A Bronze Age site of national importance

1173-430: Is now Holywell Road via the lane between the present Helen Gardens and Bede's School , which leads to the chalk pinnacle formerly known locally as 'Gibraltar' or the 'Sugar Loaf'. The ground around the pinnacle was the site of lime kilns also worked by the fishermen. The fishing hamlet at Holywell was taken over by the local water board in 1896 to exploit the springs in the cliffs. The water board's successors still own

1224-502: Is now known as Old Town, and this surrounded the bourne (stream) which rises in the present Motcombe Park; Meads, where the Downs meet the coast; South Bourne (near the town hall); and the fishing settlement known simply as Sea Houses, which was situated to the east of the present pier. By the mid-19th century most of the area had fallen into the hands of two landowners: John Davies Gilbert (the Davies-Gilbert family still own much of

1275-538: The Local Government Act 1972 , with East Sussex County Council once more providing county-level services to the town. Beachy Head Lady As part of the Eastbourne Ancestors project, over 300 sets of human remains excavated from Anglo-Saxon cemeteries were re-examined. Heritage Officer Jo Seaman and his team found two boxes labelled "Beachy Head, something to do with 1956 or 1959". Inside they found

1326-618: The Norman conquest , the Hundred of what is now Eastbourne, was held by Robert, Count of Mortain , William the Conqueror's half brother. The Domesday Book lists 28 ploughlands, a church, a watermill, fisheries and salt pans. The Book referred to the area as 'Borne'. 'East' was added to 'Borne' in the 13th century, renaming the town. A charter for a weekly market was granted to Bartholomew de Badlesmere in 1315–16; this increased his status as Lord of

1377-519: The European Alps, during the middle Tertiary period. The chalk can be clearly seen along the eroded coastline to the west of the town, in the area known as Beachy Head and the Seven Sisters , where continuous erosion keeps the cliff edge vertical and white. The chalk contains many fossils such as ammonites and nautilus . The town area is built on geologically recent alluvial drift, the result of

1428-478: The Gazette published its final issue in late 2016 and merged with the Herald. This English newspaper–related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Eastbourne Eastbourne ( / ˈ iː s t b ɔːr n / ) is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex , on the south coast of England, 19 miles (31 km) east of Brighton and 54 miles (87 km) south of London. It

1479-539: The German invasion plan, envisaged landings at Eastbourne. Many people sought safety away from the coast and shut up their houses. Restrictions on visitors forced the closure of most hotels, and private boarding schools moved away. Many of these empty buildings were later taken over by the services. The Royal Navy set up an underwater weapons school, and the Royal Air Force operated radar stations at Beachy Head and on

1530-566: The Manor and benefited local industry. During the Middle Ages the town was visited by King Henry I and in 1324 by Edward II . Evidence of Eastbourne's medieval past can be seen in the 12th-century Church of St Mary, and the manor house called Bourne Place. In the mid-16th century Bourne Place was home to the Burton family, who acquired much of the land on which the present town stands. This manor house

1581-508: The UK record for the highest recorded amount of sunshine in a month, 383.9 hours in July 1911. Temperature extremes recorded at Eastbourne since 1960 range from 31.6 °C (88.9 °F) during July 1976, down to −9.7 °C (14.5 °F) In January 1987. Eastbourne's coastal location also means it tends to be milder than most areas, particularly during night. A whole six months of the year have never fallen below 0 °C (32 °F), and in July

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1632-469: The area known as the Crumbles, a shingle bank on the coast to the east of the town centre. This area, now known as Sovereign Harbour , containing a marina, shops and several thousand houses, along with luxury flats, was formerly home to many rare plants. There has been continued growth in other parts of the town, and the central marshland has become farmland and nature reserves. In 2009, the new Towner Gallery

1683-421: The borough, which is an unparished area . Eastbourne was an ancient parish . It was governed by its vestry , in the same way as most rural areas, until 1859 when the parish was made a local government district , governed by a local board. Eastbourne become a municipal borough in 1883, governed by a body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Eastbourne", but informally known as

1734-492: The corporation or town council. One of the new council's first projects was to build Eastbourne Town Hall , which was designed by W. Tadman Foulkes, and built between 1884 and 1886 under supervision of Henry Currey , the Duke of Devonshire's architect. In 1911 Eastbourne was elevated to be a county borough , making it independent from East Sussex County Council . Eastbourne became a non-metropolitan district on 1 April 1974 under

1785-590: The end of the conflict it was designated by the Home Office to have been 'the most raided town in the South East region'. The situation was especially bad between May 1942 and June 1943 with hit–and–run raids from fighter–bombers based in northern France. Ultimately, 187 civilian people died in the borough through enemy action. In the summer of 1956, the town came to national and worldwide attention when John Bodkin Adams ,

1836-474: The expansion took place on the northern and eastern margins of the town, gradually swallowing surrounding villages. However, the richer western part was constrained by the Downs and has remained largely unchanged. In 1981, a large section of the town centre was replaced by the indoor shops of the Arndale Centre . In the 1990s, both growth and controversy accelerated rapidly as a new plan was launched to develop

1887-572: The first known person of sub-Saharan origin in Britain . However, further DNA analysis established that the Beachy Head Lady was likely of Southern European origin from Cyprus, which resulted in the parish ordering the removal of a plaque erected by the BBC "to commemorate the first black Briton." Beachy Head Lady was aged around 22 to 25 when she died, and would have stood between 4 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 1 inch (1.45 m and 1.55 m) tall. The Beachy Head Lady

1938-472: The housing estates of Hampden Park , Willingdon Trees and Langney . During the latter half of the 20th century, there were controversies over the demolition of Pococks, a 15th-century manor house on what is now the Rodmill Housing Estate, and the granting of planning permission for a 19-storey block at the western end of the seafront. The latter project (South Cliff Tower) was realised in 1965 despite

1989-554: The land in Eastbourne and East Dean ) and William Cavendish , Earl of Burlington. The Gilbert family's holdings date to the late 17th and early 18th centuries when barrister Nicholas Gilbert married an Eversfield and Gildredge heiress. (The Gildredges owned much of Eastbourne by 1554. The Gilberts eventually made the Gildredge Manor House their own. Today the Gildredge name lives on in the eponymous park.) An early plan, for

2040-536: The major landowner, the Cavendish family has had strong connections with Eastbourne since the 18th century. The current president of the society is William Cavendish, Earl of Burlington . Containing over 1,500 articles about the history of Eastbourne, the Society's indexed journal, The Eastbourne Local Historian , is the major historical resource for the town and has been published quarterly since its inception in 1970. Over

2091-511: The marshes near Pevensey . Thousands of Canadian soldiers were billeted in and around Eastbourne from July 1941 to the run-up to D-Day . Units of the very secretive and highly effective No. 3 (Jewish) Troop of the No. 10 Commando , composed of native German speaking Austrian and German Jewish refugees, trained in Eastbourne. The town suffered badly during the war, with many Victorian and Edwardian buildings damaged or destroyed by air raids. Indeed, by

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2142-461: The silting up of a bay. This changes to Weald clay around the Langney estate. A part of the South Downs, Willingdon Down is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest . This is of archaeological interest due to a Neolithic camp and burial grounds. The area is also a nationally uncommon tract of chalk grassland rich in species. Another SSSI which partially falls within the Eastbourne district

2193-485: The site, and there is a pumping station but little evidence of the hamlet itself, as by now even most of the foundations of the cottages have gone over the cliff. As with the rest of the British Isles and South Coast, Eastbourne experiences a maritime climate with warm summers and mild winters. The local climate is notable for its high sunshine levels, at least relative to much of the rest of England – Eastbourne holds

2244-595: The temperature has never fallen below 8.3 °C (46.9 °F). All temperature figures relate to the period 1960 onwards. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is " Cfb " (Marine West Coast Climate/ Oceanic climate ). There are two tiers of local government covering Eastbourne, at district and county level: Eastbourne Borough Council , based at the Town Hall on Grove Road, and East Sussex County Council , based in Lewes . There are no civil parishes in

2295-464: The town of Polegate , and the civil parishes and villages of Willingdon and Jevington , Stone Cross , Pevensey , Westham and Pevensey Bay village. All are part of the Wealden District. Within Eastbourne's limits are: There was a community known as Norway, Eastbourne in the triangle now bounded by Wartling Road, Seaside and Lottbridge Drove. The name being a corruption of North Way, as this

2346-470: The town's seafront and was the subject of a painting by James Sant RA, and part of Tower 68 forms the basement of a house on St. Antony's Hill. Between 1805 and 1807, a fortress known as the Eastbourne Redoubt was built as a barracks and storage depot, and armed with 10 cannons. A connection with India comes in the shape of the 18th-century Lushington monument, also at St Mary's, which commemorates

2397-469: The years, the Society has published various books and booklets about the history of Eastbourne, twelve of which are currently in print. The South Downs dominate Eastbourne and the Eastbourne Downland Estate can be seen from most of the town. These were originally chalk deposits laid down under the sea during the Late Cretaceous , and were later lifted by the same tectonic plate movements that formed

2448-636: Was discovered in Hydneye lake at Shinewater in 1995. Celtic people are believed to have settled on the Eastbourne Downland in 500   BC. There are Roman remains buried beneath the town, such as a Roman bath and section of pavement between Eastbourne Pier and the Redoubt Fortress. There is also a Roman villa near the entrance to the Pier and the present Queens Hotel. In 1953, skeletal remains of

2499-402: Was opened, abutting the listed Congress Theatre built in 1963. In 2016–19 extensive remodelling work was undertaken to the prominent Arndale Centre, which takes up most of the town centre, and was originally built by Legal & General Assurance in the 1980s. This was then renamed The Beacon. The remodelling including the addition of a brand new cinema run by Cineworld. On 22 November 2019,

2550-468: Was the largest of this type in the UK during this war, treating 150,000; 80% were able to return to fight. The facility was dismantled in 1920. An exhibition about the history of the camp was held in Eastbourne for several months in 2015. In 1926, the Eastbourne Corporation Act enabled the creation of the Eastbourne Downland Estate . A royal visit by George V and Queen Mary in March 1935

2601-474: Was the route to the north. The area is now a housing estate and the only evidence there was a Norway are a Norway Road and the local church whose sign reads "St Andrew's Church, Norway". The former fishing hamlet of Holywell (local pronunciation 'holly well') was situated by the cliff on a ledge some 400 yards to the southwest of the public garden known as the Holywell Retreat. It was approached from what

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