East Bourne is a fashionable sea-bathing place, situated in a valley at the extremity of the South Downs. It has a handsome church, in which are some monuments and a singular font. The bathing here is remarkably good; and it has also the advantage of a chalybeate spring. To the west of East Bourne is Beachy-Head, the loftiest cliff on this coast. It is 573 feet in height, and contains several caverns. Six miles east of East Bourne is Pevensey Castle, a fine specimen of ancient architecture. The date of its erection is unknown, but, from the quantity of Roman brick employed in the work, it is supposed to have been constructed out of some Roman fortress. The town and castle of Pevensey were conferred by William the Conqueror on his half-brother, Robert Earl of Montainge and Cornwall. They were afterwards forfeited to the Crown, and Henry III. granted them to his son Prince Edward and his heirs, Kings of England, so that they should never more be separated from the Crown. Notwithstanding of this, however, they were settled on the celebrated John of Gaunt. For many years Pevensey Castle was held by the Pelhams. It then came to Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, and ultimately descended by marriage to Lord G. H. Cavendish. Six miles from Pevensey and 12 from East Bourne are the ruins of Hurstmonceux Castle, formerly a fortress of great magnificence and strength. Till 1777 it was the most perfect and regular castellated mansion in the kingdom; but about that period the roof was taken down, and the interior completely stript by the proprietor, the Rev. Mr Hare, who employed the materials thus obtained in the erection of some additional rooms in the modern mansion-house. The church contains some curious monuments of the family of Fiennes. Hurstmonceux is now the property of W. D. Gillon, Esq. who manifests a praiseworthy zeal in the preservation of its ruins. The nearest road to East Bourne, and that which is most travelled, is through East Grinsted and Uckfield (see page 14.) Its distance from London by the route is 61 miles. ON RIGHT FROM LOND. Here a road leads off to East Bourne, distant 19 niles. See p. Plashet Park, Lord Gage. Glynd. Gen. Brand, 3 m. from Lewes, Glyndbourne, Tetty, Esq., and Firle Place, Lord Gage. IX. LONDON TO BRIGHTON THROUGH CROYDON AND CUCKFIELD, 514 Near on Red-Hill Com-27 mon Leith Hill Tower, a conspicuous object in this neighbourhood. 17 London to Merstham. Enter Sussex. Richman's Green. To Brighton through Hicksted, 24 miles. |