Bexhill

A town and coastal resort in the county of East Sussex, England and lies 6 miles south-west of Hastings. It is situated within the Rother District Council area and has a population of over 42,000.

A church has existed on the site of St Peter's at Old Bexhill since 722. The original foundation was replaced by William the Conqueror in 1070, but only the base of the Norman tower survives in the present church. Bexhill began to develop as a town in 1804 when it became home to almost three thousand soldiers of the Hanoverian King's German Legion with the resident population at that time less than one thousand. The Legion was station in the town as part of England’s defence against Napoleon and finally left Bexhill in 1814 to fight at the Battle of Waterloo.

Most of the buildings in Bexhill in what is known as the Old Town are of 18th century origin. A number of buildings, notably the church and manor house are very old with some 18th century 'fronts' concealing the remains of medieval structures. The building of the Victorian new town between 1883 and 1902 was mostly in brick with Bath stone, giving the characteristic 'red' look of the town. Today almost complete runs of Victorian buildings are occasionally broken by more modern structures, mostly the result of rebuilding after World War II bomb damage.

The remains of a WWII military bunker can be seen at the top of Galley Hill. The Irish comedian and poet Spike Milligan was posted to Bexhill from 1940 to 1942 and mentions the bunker in his book 'Adolf Hitler - My Part In His Downfall' and of course later referred back to the town in the Goon Show's 'The Dreaded Batter Pudding Hurler of Bexhill-on-Sea'.

The De La Warr Pavilion was the first welded steel frame building in the country and one of the best early examples of the International Modernist style. This splendid Grade I listed building has recently undergone a major £9 million refurbishment and redevelopment and since October 2005 has welcomed over half a million visitors. As well as the open roof terrace which allows visitors to enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the coast there is a magnificent high-quality restaurant offering the best in fresh, local produce, fine wines and fabulous views of the sea. In 2006/7 The De La Warr Pavilion was awarded the Sussex Business Award for Sport, Leisure and Tourism.

Not only is Bexhill renowned as the ‘birthplace of British motor racing’ with frequent displays of cars from all eras throughout the year, but the town also boasts an excellent residential seafront with an award winning beach. The promenade stretches for miles from the Trafalgar Beacon on Galley Hill to Cooden offering spectacular views as well as the chance to watch the Sailing or Rowing Club in action. The numerous sporting facilities include tennis, bowls, squash, golf, cricket, football, swimming and a fully equipped leisure centre and indoor leisure pool complex.