Nearly every school child in the SE area of England…. Greater London; bits of Surrey; most of Kent and probably all of Sussex has had the obligatory visit to Hastings as a “History trip” and had to walk around with a clipboard and answer questions etc about the invasion of England by Will de Conk and his crew 😄… well I did anyway 😉 and I can still see in my mind’s eye, hassled teachers and some of those parents who were bribed to attend in return for a free jolly to the Seaside, trying to command us pupils, intent on NOT answering the questions on the sheet but venturing on to the stony beach and heading towards what was always a “rough sea” and getting very wet😂 (the teacher’s response to that, was that as she hadn’t brought a towel to dry anyone off, those caught by a rogue wave would just have to stay wet and not complain about it! 😲😲😂😂) or just wandering aimlessly off the “teacher’s set questions area” and getting separated or lost…. 😂. I do think that Andrew Benedict might still be in Hastings, since 1971, wandering around looking for our History teacher 🤣🤣 But in essence - one of my best trips to the area was a celebration of the Battle of Britain. Seats and benches set into the hillside of forest area in Battle itself - we listened to typical “war time” music and rousing Melodie’s played by the Philharmonic Orchestra and hearing over the tannoy, Winston Churchill’s speeches and his “war cry”….and then, the highlight of the Show, was on hearing the instantly recognisable sound of Spitfires as two flew low over our heads…. It was one of those moments when you clutch your chest and you can feel your eyes getting damp and there is this huge lump in your throat, as you cheer and clap loudly as they fly over. It was okay to feel proud and fly the 🇬🇧🏴 ….a lovely evening it was too. ☺️ The small town of Battle is really worth a visit too - after all, it’s where the major part of our “history” started 😊
Thank you so much for sharing the very vivid and colorful description of your school field trip to Hastings! As well as your visit to battle for the celebration. I am quite disappointed we didn't get to properly visit Battle... next time!
@weedle I grew up roughly 4.5 miles north of Senlac Hill as the arrow flies. The history was drilled into us from an early age too. The two houses of the school were the Saxons and the Normans. I was a proud Saxon, despite being mildly irritated by the fact that we technically lost. I say mildly, because I was born in Yorkshire and all Billy did was harry us. We can take a harrying in Yorkshire. Have you seen our weather? :)
I enjoyed your tour of Hastings, where I spent three years in the 1970s working as a visiting print journalist at F J Parsons publishers. All I can say is that the good burghers of Hastings have become much more creative with exterior colours on their homes. It always seemed to be gloomy or raining when I worked there! ☔ Thanks, too, for your narrative of Mayfield parish church, Ian: fascinating history.
Haha seems like most people who know Hastings don't have loads of complimentary things to say about it... but I'm very glad we stopped there for a visit. I only wish I could have properly visited Battle as well! Also... it was very fun to hear about your previous journalism career! 📰🗞️
Doing narration is not really my thing and it shows, but I thank you for your kind comment. Journalism is truly a noble profession. I have a lot of respect for our local investigative reporters. Without them we'd see large scale corruption in the Dallas area taking place with impunity.
@@ians3586 Thank you Ian. The community role local journalists play here is not always appreciated! And your narration is absolutely fine, especially when you're talking about architecture!
@@MagentaOtterTravelsWe had lunch in Battle, right by the Abbey. It was just out of view on the right in your video. Burton's Restaurant. A fun place for tea.
Your lunch looked wonderful at the pub. Fancy place! We're also going to feature such a fine establishment in our next video The one in Amarillo that gives you the 72 oz. steak with all the trimmings! 🤣🤣 St. Dunstan is a lovely church. Beautiful inside and out. The woodwork and stained glass stunning. Interesting to see the tombs, but sad about what the skulls represent. Wise to stay away of the Laser Sharks! We enjoyed the tour Dara and Ian. Thanks so much for bringing us along.
Thanks so much Dave! We look forward to seeing you and Kathy eat the 72 ounce steak in Amarillo! That's commonplace here in Texas. We eat that for lunch every day!🤣🤣🥩
Nice to see Mayfield again. I remember visiting my godparents who lived there in the 60's/70s - and seeing the windmill in the distance, on the hill. They later moved to live on Argos Hill not far from the windmill.
@@MagentaOtterTravels Yes, that windmill. I never actually visited it up close, because (even then) I believe it was privately owned. Nonetheless, it's still a noteworthy local landmark. Similar situation to the windmill that overlooks the village of Turville (nr Henley, Oxfordshire), which famously was the home of Caracatus Potts in the film 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' - that too is privately owned. 😊
Very interesting. The Austin A40 looks almost as old as the house behind it, but the house is a few years older! The church ceiling looking like the inside of a boat, now that was thought-provoking, I've never heard of that before. Very enjoyable.
Isn't it fascinating to think about the ship builders being carpenters for church ceilings? That one really did look like the inside of a ship hull... so it made me remember that story! I knew nothing about Austins, but reading the comments on this video now I'd really like to see a range of antique Austins sometime!
They do have a San Francisco vibe about them! A magenta house.The Shovells house was very quaint. Hastings Castle had the perfect spot to defend the car park below. This Castle music has a very Black Adder feel to it! The roundabout figurine was a cool nod to the battle. The Mayfield Pub had impressive style and architecture, lovely looking portions and food too, spot on! Those old roofs and windows give me palpitations, who looks after them in the winter? Some amazing stained glass windows in the fire restored Church. Great aerial shots Ian. Shame about the windmill, you don’t want to mess with the laser sharks! ❤
Ha ha, yes we avoided those laser sharks! 🦈 You are right, Hastings Castle is a perfect place to defend the car park! And perhaps to defend beachgoers consuming fish, chips, and ice cream cones from attacking seagulls!!! You sound like someone who takes care of buildings, wondering what happens to those ancient windows in the winter 😉🤣
Good morning. Rain, Dara, you went out in the rain. Love the umbrella. The houses in Hastings look awesome. Then, my wee heart skipped a beat when you showed the old Austin car. Such a classic. I had a A40 Somerset. Oh the years have just flown by! Earned the money by selling Tupperware. Great spot for a castle. Can't have a castle without a toilet....🤪! The Sunday Roast is one of the yummiest meals out. Can't be late for Sunday Roast. Mayfair looks lovey. Loved the church and hearing about the history. Another gorgeous road trip. Oh dear, now that wasn't fair - no windmill pictures. Learnt a lot. Thanks for posting this so I had a great start to my day. 👌🇳🇱🙋♀🇳🇿🌺
I can't believe you had one of those Austin cars! I hadn't seen one before, so that was fascinating. Did you own it in New Zealand or the Netherlands? I can never keep track of where you lived when 🤣
Hi Dara, I am sorry to hear about the weather which we all deal with when we have a planning ahead. I am gald you mentioned about architecture in this town, indeed a little unique charm comparing traditional towns in the UK wow I love the view the ragged cliff face behind elegant buildings remind me of The Beauty and Beast hahah 3:49 stunning view You are one of the maters who are able to pull off history, architect, art, nature, food and... I truly enjoy learning history as you walk through the ruin with bitte story. Walking tour at the churches are your masterpiece. My surprise is the ceiling as you mentioned it looked like a shop where most churches have vaulted ceiling. Haha so sorry about to hear a windmill Nobody knows until you get there... Not much food this time??? I look forward to the next episode I hope you enjoy our dolphins bring hot heat to you.
Hi Yumi! Thanks for watching this video about a very historic town and a very beautiful old village! I do love looking in old castles and churches... it's so fun for us! I'll plan to come to your dolphin-tastic premiere tomorrow. Only you guys have a premiere and get 135 likes over 24 hours before the premiere even starts!!! You are crushing it! XX Dara
My part of the world, and I love it. Alleyways between houses in Sussex are called Twittens, but they have different names in other counties. See if you can find some others!
That's odd. It's always sunny when I go to Hastings. 🌞 Getting to Hastings by train from Sheppey is a long journey. Takes half the day to get there. I bought a bookmark in one of those gift shops. Not sure if I still have it. I think I walked a different route than you did. More hugging the shoreline. I liked the old town best. Didn't you stop off at the aquarium to look at the sharks swimming overhead? Very old car? The Austin A30 was the latest thing when I was a lad. 😁They're usually light green. Well, the ones I remember were. The wing mirrors were probably put on by the owner as I don't think they came new with the car. The roundabout at Battle might have been where the actual battle took place. I know it was near the top of a hill. Oh, and Harold didn't get an arrow in his eye. 🏹The Bayeux Tapestry has been much altered and investigation shows that the arrow is a much later alteration. The tapestry isn't even a tapestry. It's an embroidery.
Sorry, Boppy, but we already established that you are VERY OLD. I'm disappointed that we didn't get to properly visit Battle! We really must next time... and go with people who are history buffs and will appreciate it! Have you seen the Bayeux Tapestry? Ian dragged us all to see it back in 2014. I didn't want to, because I'm not interested in history... but it was LIFE CHANGING! Just fascinating! I loved seeing it! Now I'm wishing I had photos of it... but I bet they don't allow photography. I honestly can't remember.
The A21 route down to Hastings from where I live on the outskirts of London is a great drive. Lots of lovely roads and a mixture of fast roads, town roads, countryside and urban. Been through Mayfield and most of Sussex and Kent before but not for a while.
Hi Dara & Ian, what a lovely trip to Hastings and Mayfield - despite the rainy weather. Nice brolly! ☔Cool castle and interesting narration. I loved the drone footage too! Yummy Sunday lunch - delish! 😋❤
I love my umbrella! Those inside out umbrellas really are a fabulous innovation! I actually put a link in the video description to the umbrella on Amazon because other people asked about it as well 😉.
Oh the history! I was captivated watching and as always learning. Ian you are such a good sport being married to a TH-camr, loved your drone shots and narration! Outstanding video Dara thank you! ~Cara ❤
This is a very historic part of England. So even though I'm rubbish at history, I had to go visit!! Only wish we had been able to properly visit Battle where the actual Battle of Hastings took place... but alas, we had a lunch appointment. And food is always our first priority! LOL Thanks as always for watching, Cara! XX
The indicators on the Austin would be a later addition too. The most they would have had when new was little lighted arms at the top of the door pillar that swung out to indicate when you were going to turn. 😁
@@MagentaOtterTravels It's possible that it was an A35. They're very similar and I'm not an expert on cars. 🚅 😁 Great drone footage from Ian as always. 🚁
I love your umbrella! Hastings has been on my list of places to visit for quite a while as I really liked the TV series 'Foyle's War' which was set during WWII in Hastings and the surrounding area. It does look very pretty with all those coloured houses. Mayfield and its pub looks especially English picturebook perfect.
You really need to check out these inside out umbrellas... they are fab! I put links in my description... maybe you can see if Amazon sells them in Oz as well. The engineering is so superior to a normal brolly! Hastings is defo worth a visit if you like history... or Foyle's War! And I also highly recommend Mayfield if you are in the area, as it is so picturesque!
@@MagentaOtterTravels you get Victorian houses in a town then as you drive out to the countryside the houses are all semidetached built 100 years ago..the ribbon is the houses lined by the road..before somebody thought hey let’s build an estate in that field there..because they didn’t want to build seven miles to the next town..
My Maternal Grandmother's family originated from Mayfield before moving to East Yorkshire so they gave her Mayfield as her first name. To the family she was simply known as May. She in turn passed her name down to Mum as a middle name, something that she was very proud of up until her passing in early 2020 at the age of 90. 🙂
@@MagentaOtterTravels No, never I'm afraid. I have no other reason to visit that part of Britain which is why I found your excellent video so fascinating. All my family roots are "oop North". 😉
Another great video. Hastings is an odd mix but, if you ever get back, you should try one the two funicular lifts that take you from the Old Town area up to the level of the castle. The town is famous for being the home of the World Crazy Golf Championship.
Sounds good. I used to go there on a train or a works outing on a chara/ charabanc. Like del and Rodney in only fools and horses. The episode is called jolly boys outing..
Fun Fact: all spiral stairways in castles turn to the right. this is so the invaders sword hand is behind the central pillar and the defenders sword hand is free to swing.
I pity anyone who had to walk in those narrow stone stairwells wearing armor and holding a heavy sword in one hand! Sounds like a brutal workout! Not to mention they were probably afraid for their life... so that got their heart beating even harder!
@@MagentaOtterTravels the soldiers in the castle would have only been wearing chainmail. as the full body armor was worn by cavalry. the fully armored guys were used as tanks to go in front of the main army to make holes in the enemy's frontline.
If I'd known you were going to Hastings, I'd have arranged for you to discover 'beach hut life' - friend of ours has a beach hut on the beach there and lives on the edge of the old town. Best fish n chips anywhere on the south coast in several chippies near The Stade.
That's an Austin Somerset. In the 1940s & 50s most of Austin's range was named after counties or county towns. There was a Devon, Dorset, Hereford, Cambridge, and one for the marketeer in you: they seriously considered calling the Mini the Austin Newmarket, because it was aimed at a "new market sector".
That is fascinating! I didn't know any of that. I would love to see all the different models of Austins. Do they have a museum somewhere? And yes, that's really funny about the mini 🙃
There isn't a specific Austin museum. There are three main motor museums in Britain, the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, Coventry, and Gaydon in Warwickshire. Gaydon houses vehicles from all the manufacturers who eventually became part of British Leyland: Austin, Morris, Wolseley, Riley, MG, Jaguar, Rover, Standard and Triumph. As well as production cars they also have lots of prototypes of models that never made it to market.@@MagentaOtterTravels
@@MagentaOtterTravels Just outside Great Yarmouth, there's Caister Castle which is basically just a few walls with a tower you can go up but it has a transport museum on the property with all sorts inside!
Wow, you are good at identifying vehicles! Another person commented that Austin had named cars after several different counties/places. I never knew that. Very interesting!
For some weird reason your other comments went to purgatory and even though I APPROVED them to release them from jail... they disappeared! So, for the record... I would never call Ian a donkey! heehaw 😂
The Devon was the preceding model with a more upright design, sold until 1952. The Somerset has a more streamlined body. The line flowing back from the front wings (fenders) is the easiest way to differentiate. Straight on the Somerset, curving down on the Devon.
@@stonkr well done! You know your cars! Do you have an automobile museum you recommend? I would be interested in seeing old models of Austins if there's a place I can see them...
@@MagentaOtterTravels I can appreciate new cars but prefer older ones. If I had the space & time I'd get something from the 30s - maybe when I retire! I can recommend the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu (too many vowels but pronounced b-you-lee) on the south coast, although I haven't visited recently. Your visit could also include the New Forest for a picnic, if it's not raining.
2066 is fast approaching. I guess we should be making plans to attend the 1000th anniversary. Yeah, I'm may be being a tad optimistic. Travel insurance for centenarians may be a bit expensive. I googled Hastings to see exactly where it is and the first result was Hastings on the Mornington Peninsula about 1 and half hours from my place. I guess it ain't that one. 😁
In times gone by these 3 & 4 floor buildings were occupied b wealthy families. The upper floors would be occupied by paid hose keepers, cleaners and cooks staff. These days times have changed, these will converted into flats or apartments, helps with the housing shortages, very popular with new property owners and students, especially in the cities. The top floor rooms are often very warm and pokey.
Born and raised in Hastings, but been in Dorset 44 years. Sir Cloudsley Shovell dies because of his own absolute arrogance. In the days when longitude was a matter of guesswork (before accurate clocks) it was difficult to know where you were. One humble seaman, but very experienced, reckoned they were running into danger because of the proximity of the Scillies, and went to Shovell to warn him. Navigation was the role of an officer and a gentleman, not a humble seaman, and Shovell had him hanged for his impudence - whereupon they all ran aground and dies exactly where the sailor said they would. The scene is shown graphically in the film "Longitude"
Oh wow! I figured there was more to that story than what I read... I wasn't sure how someone who led his whole ship full of sailors to their death was a hero?...
Yes, Hastings really is a mixture of different things! We did not do a very thorough exploration, to be honest. We had gone to church that morning, had a lunch reservation in Mayfield, and it was raining! 🙄
“ Do something good in the world today ? “ Hmm, I’d like a rematch with the ( extensive expletives deleted ) Normans. Bless you Harold. You wuz robbed. End of … ( Nice vid by the way. Pity you missed the funicular cliff-top lift.)
Well done in sounding so characteristically positive about Hastings! I find it depressing and poverty stricken and everyone i chat to when there seems to have been recently released from Lewes Nick. I was even going to move down there at one point (cheap property) to teach English, but thankfully decided not to.
OK, thank you SO MUCH! I needed a good laugh, and your first sentence gave me a high volume, hearty, belly laugh! You might not know this, but Ian is an architecture snob... if I suggest going someplace really popular that he deems architecturally ugly (Blackpool and Brighton come to mind...) he kindly refuses to go. We didn't really plan to go to Hastings, but we had just attended church nearby and I twisted his arm. I was glad we had a brief visit and I was able to wander round the castle. After that we went to the place Ian picked out... Mayfield! As you can see, it was a much prettier place and he got some lovely drone footage ;-) Cheers for your comment, Dara
You make a good point. My impression of the town is that it's a place that has potential to be really nice but needs to be better maintained. It felt rather dreary to me but the grey day we had when there didn't help. Also, the litter surrounding the castle didn't leave a good impression. The one exception was the beautifully and brightly painted Victorian homes scattered around the town. Seeing those made the visit worthwhile. Hope that that trend continues.
Can someone explain to me why so many Americans now croak whilst they speak? It's especially true of the women but the men do it too. I listen to old interviews and bits of film and there is no evidence of it. I'd like to watch this properly but sorry, can't stick with the croaky voice.
What a cool road trip! Thank you for the reminder...visited Hasings so many years ago that I don't remember that much anymore..but the Castle is the same beautiful LOL ...Take care ...
Nearly every school child in the SE area of England…. Greater London; bits of Surrey; most of Kent and probably all of Sussex has had the obligatory visit to Hastings as a “History trip” and had to walk around with a clipboard and answer questions etc about the invasion of England by Will de Conk and his crew 😄… well I did anyway 😉 and I can still see in my mind’s eye, hassled teachers and some of those parents who were bribed to attend in return for a free jolly to the Seaside, trying to command us pupils, intent on NOT answering the questions on the sheet but venturing on to the stony beach and heading towards what was always a “rough sea” and getting very wet😂 (the teacher’s response to that, was that as she hadn’t brought a towel to dry anyone off, those caught by a rogue wave would just have to stay wet and not complain about it! 😲😲😂😂) or just wandering aimlessly off the “teacher’s set questions area” and getting separated or lost…. 😂. I do think that Andrew Benedict might still be in Hastings, since 1971, wandering around looking for our History teacher 🤣🤣
But in essence - one of my best trips to the area was a celebration of the Battle of Britain. Seats and benches set into the hillside of forest area in Battle itself - we listened to typical “war time” music and rousing Melodie’s played by the Philharmonic Orchestra and hearing over the tannoy, Winston Churchill’s speeches and his “war cry”….and then, the highlight of the Show, was on hearing the instantly recognisable sound of Spitfires as two flew low over our heads…. It was one of those moments when you clutch your chest and you can feel your eyes getting damp and there is this huge lump in your throat, as you cheer and clap loudly as they fly over. It was okay to feel proud and fly the 🇬🇧🏴 ….a lovely evening it was too. ☺️
The small town of Battle is really worth a visit too - after all, it’s where the major part of our “history” started 😊
Thank you so much for sharing the very vivid and colorful description of your school field trip to Hastings! As well as your visit to battle for the celebration. I am quite disappointed we didn't get to properly visit Battle... next time!
@weedle I grew up roughly 4.5 miles north of Senlac Hill as the arrow flies. The history was drilled into us from an early age too. The two houses of the school were the Saxons and the Normans. I was a proud Saxon, despite being mildly irritated by the fact that we technically lost. I say mildly, because I was born in Yorkshire and all Billy did was harry us. We can take a harrying in Yorkshire. Have you seen our weather? :)
I was hoping you'd visit the Convent school of which I spent many happy years
I enjoyed your tour of Hastings, where I spent three years in the 1970s working as a visiting print journalist at F J Parsons publishers. All I can say is that the good burghers of Hastings have become much more creative with exterior colours on their homes. It always seemed to be gloomy or raining when I worked there! ☔ Thanks, too, for your narrative of Mayfield parish church, Ian: fascinating history.
Haha seems like most people who know Hastings don't have loads of complimentary things to say about it... but I'm very glad we stopped there for a visit. I only wish I could have properly visited Battle as well!
Also... it was very fun to hear about your previous journalism career! 📰🗞️
Doing narration is not really my thing and it shows, but I thank you for your kind comment. Journalism is truly a noble profession. I have a lot of respect for our local investigative reporters. Without them we'd see large scale corruption in the Dallas area taking place with impunity.
@@ians3586 Thank you Ian. The community role local journalists play here is not always appreciated! And your narration is absolutely fine, especially when you're talking about architecture!
The Battle of Hastings took place 6 miles northwest of Hastings in Battle, the name given to the area after the conflict.
I was disappointed that we didn't have enough time to visit Battle! Beyond driving through it... 🙄
Next time!!
@@MagentaOtterTravelsWe had lunch in Battle, right by the Abbey. It was just out of view on the right in your video. Burton's Restaurant. A fun place for tea.
@@ruthgoebel723 I love that you remember all the places you ate! That's why we are friends 😉🤣💖
We’ve always celebrated invaders eventually..
We enjoyed seeing the beautiful town of Hastings and well placed castle, Dara and Ian. With a well placed toilet!
LOL I always have to show the potty 🚽🤣
Your lunch looked wonderful at the pub. Fancy place! We're also going to feature such a fine establishment in our next video The one in Amarillo that gives you the 72 oz. steak with all the trimmings! 🤣🤣 St. Dunstan is a lovely church. Beautiful inside and out. The woodwork and stained glass stunning. Interesting to see the tombs, but sad about what the skulls represent. Wise to stay away of the Laser Sharks! We enjoyed the tour Dara and Ian. Thanks so much for bringing us along.
Thanks so much Dave! We look forward to seeing you and Kathy eat the 72 ounce steak in Amarillo! That's commonplace here in Texas. We eat that for lunch every day!🤣🤣🥩
Nice to see Mayfield again. I remember visiting my godparents who lived there in the 60's/70s - and seeing the windmill in the distance, on the hill. They later moved to live on Argos Hill not far from the windmill.
The windmill I showed in my video? Near Dr. evil's secret lair? Wow!😯
Yes, Mayfield is a lovely village!
@@MagentaOtterTravels Yes, that windmill. I never actually visited it up close, because (even then) I believe it was privately owned. Nonetheless, it's still a noteworthy local landmark. Similar situation to the windmill that overlooks the village of Turville (nr Henley, Oxfordshire), which famously was the home of Caracatus Potts in the film 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' - that too is privately owned. 😊
I live in Hastings, I enjoyed your video. Thank you.
@@benj1174 I'm so glad to hear! Thank you very much for watching my video and taking the time to comment. Cheers! Dara
Very interesting. The Austin A40 looks almost as old as the house behind it, but the house is a few years older! The church ceiling looking like the inside of a boat, now that was thought-provoking, I've never heard of that before. Very enjoyable.
Isn't it fascinating to think about the ship builders being carpenters for church ceilings? That one really did look like the inside of a ship hull... so it made me remember that story!
I knew nothing about Austins, but reading the comments on this video now I'd really like to see a range of antique Austins sometime!
@@MagentaOtterTravels Then you need to go to the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu. I'd love to go there!
@@AidanEyewitness we need to go!
So I live in hastings and it's so cool to see so many places that I walk through all the time haha
Thanks so much for watching and leaving a comment for me! Glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers, Dara
Learnt things even I don't know about my town haha@@MagentaOtterTravels
They do have a San Francisco vibe about them! A magenta house.The Shovells house was very quaint. Hastings Castle had the perfect spot to defend the car park below. This Castle music has a very Black Adder feel to it! The roundabout figurine was a cool nod to the battle. The Mayfield Pub had impressive style and architecture, lovely looking portions and food too, spot on! Those old roofs and windows give me palpitations, who looks after them in the winter? Some amazing stained glass windows in the fire restored Church. Great aerial shots Ian. Shame about the windmill, you don’t want to mess with the laser sharks! ❤
Ha ha, yes we avoided those laser sharks! 🦈
You are right, Hastings Castle is a perfect place to defend the car park! And perhaps to defend beachgoers consuming fish, chips, and ice cream cones from attacking seagulls!!!
You sound like someone who takes care of buildings, wondering what happens to those ancient windows in the winter 😉🤣
Milton abbas, Dorset is a perfect place to visit in summer if you guys havent done so already. The history behind it is very interesting too
I haven't been there. Sounds great! Thanks for the recommendation
Good morning. Rain, Dara, you went out in the rain. Love the umbrella. The houses in Hastings look awesome. Then, my wee heart skipped a beat when you showed the old Austin car. Such a classic. I had a A40 Somerset. Oh the years have just flown by! Earned the money by selling Tupperware. Great spot for a castle. Can't have a castle without a toilet....🤪! The Sunday Roast is one of the yummiest meals out. Can't be late for Sunday Roast. Mayfair looks lovey. Loved the church and hearing about the history. Another gorgeous road trip. Oh dear, now that wasn't fair - no windmill pictures. Learnt a lot. Thanks for posting this so I had a great start to my day. 👌🇳🇱🙋♀🇳🇿🌺
I can't believe you had one of those Austin cars! I hadn't seen one before, so that was fascinating. Did you own it in New Zealand or the Netherlands? I can never keep track of where you lived when 🤣
@@MagentaOtterTravels in New Zealand. The Austin’s were a sturdy reliable car and English. So very kiwi-fied Dara
Thank you friends for sharing a video of a very beautiful place with beautiful buildings along the way
Thanks for watching!
Hi Dara, I am sorry to hear about the weather which we all deal with when we have a planning ahead.
I am gald you mentioned about architecture in this town, indeed a little unique charm comparing traditional towns in the UK
wow I love the view the ragged cliff face behind elegant buildings remind me of The Beauty and Beast hahah 3:49 stunning view You are one of the maters who are able to pull off history, architect, art, nature, food and... I truly enjoy learning history as you walk through the ruin with bitte story. Walking tour at the churches are your masterpiece. My surprise is the ceiling as you mentioned it looked like a shop where most churches have vaulted ceiling.
Haha so sorry about to hear a windmill Nobody knows until you get there...
Not much food this time???
I look forward to the next episode
I hope you enjoy our dolphins bring hot heat to you.
Hi Yumi! Thanks for watching this video about a very historic town and a very beautiful old village! I do love looking in old castles and churches... it's so fun for us!
I'll plan to come to your dolphin-tastic premiere tomorrow. Only you guys have a premiere and get 135 likes over 24 hours before the premiere even starts!!! You are crushing it! XX Dara
@@MagentaOtterTravels hahah If you like to meet new friends, you are free to join premiere 30 mins earlier. The guests arrive fairly early.hahah
My part of the world, and I love it. Alleyways between houses in Sussex are called Twittens, but they have different names in other counties. See if you can find some others!
@@23oakhill I just learned that in Yorkshire they are called Snickets! I have great friends who do videos in Yorkshire and just learned that one ❤️😉
@@MagentaOtterTravels yes and in Yorkshire they are ginnels , in Leicestershire Jitty’s .
That's odd. It's always sunny when I go to Hastings. 🌞 Getting to Hastings by train from Sheppey is a long journey. Takes half the day to get there.
I bought a bookmark in one of those gift shops. Not sure if I still have it. I think I walked a different route than you did. More hugging the shoreline. I liked the old town best. Didn't you stop off at the aquarium to look at the sharks swimming overhead?
Very old car? The Austin A30 was the latest thing when I was a lad. 😁They're usually light green. Well, the ones I remember were. The wing mirrors were probably put on by the owner as I don't think they came new with the car.
The roundabout at Battle might have been where the actual battle took place. I know it was near the top of a hill.
Oh, and Harold didn't get an arrow in his eye. 🏹The Bayeux Tapestry has been much altered and investigation shows that the arrow is a much later alteration. The tapestry isn't even a tapestry. It's an embroidery.
Sorry, Boppy, but we already established that you are VERY OLD.
I'm disappointed that we didn't get to properly visit Battle! We really must next time... and go with people who are history buffs and will appreciate it!
Have you seen the Bayeux Tapestry? Ian dragged us all to see it back in 2014. I didn't want to, because I'm not interested in history... but it was LIFE CHANGING! Just fascinating! I loved seeing it! Now I'm wishing I had photos of it... but I bet they don't allow photography. I honestly can't remember.
@@MagentaOtterTravels Sadly no. I've only seen documentaries on it. You're right. They don't allow photography, not even without flash.
The A21 route down to Hastings from where I live on the outskirts of London is a great drive. Lots of lovely roads and a mixture of fast roads, town roads, countryside and urban. Been through Mayfield and most of Sussex and Kent before but not for a while.
Mayfield is a very lovely place!
Hi Dara & Ian, what a lovely trip to Hastings and Mayfield - despite the rainy weather. Nice brolly! ☔Cool castle and interesting narration. I loved the drone footage too! Yummy Sunday lunch - delish! 😋❤
I love my umbrella! Those inside out umbrellas really are a fabulous innovation! I actually put a link in the video description to the umbrella on Amazon because other people asked about it as well 😉.
Oh the history! I was captivated watching and as always learning. Ian you are such a good sport being married to a TH-camr, loved your drone shots and narration! Outstanding video Dara thank you! ~Cara ❤
This is a very historic part of England. So even though I'm rubbish at history, I had to go visit!! Only wish we had been able to properly visit Battle where the actual Battle of Hastings took place... but alas, we had a lunch appointment. And food is always our first priority! LOL
Thanks as always for watching, Cara! XX
The indicators on the Austin would be a later addition too. The most they would have had when new was little lighted arms at the top of the door pillar that swung out to indicate when you were going to turn. 😁
Thank you for telling me what car that was!
@@MagentaOtterTravels It's possible that it was an A35. They're very similar and I'm not an expert on cars. 🚅 😁
Great drone footage from Ian as always. 🚁
@@Poliss95 thank you 😊
I love your umbrella! Hastings has been on my list of places to visit for quite a while as I really liked the TV series 'Foyle's War' which was set during WWII in Hastings and the surrounding area. It does look very pretty with all those coloured houses. Mayfield and its pub looks especially English picturebook perfect.
You really need to check out these inside out umbrellas... they are fab! I put links in my description... maybe you can see if Amazon sells them in Oz as well. The engineering is so superior to a normal brolly!
Hastings is defo worth a visit if you like history... or Foyle's War! And I also highly recommend Mayfield if you are in the area, as it is so picturesque!
There’s a lovely windmill in Hull amongst a 1920s ribbon development.. not far from the town centre..
What is a ribbon development?
@@MagentaOtterTravels you get Victorian houses in a town then as you drive out to the countryside the houses are all semidetached built 100 years ago..the ribbon is the houses lined by the road..before somebody thought hey let’s build an estate in that field there..because they didn’t want to build seven miles to the next town..
My Maternal Grandmother's family originated from Mayfield before moving to East Yorkshire so they gave her Mayfield as her first name. To the family she was simply known as May.
She in turn passed her name down to Mum as a middle name, something that she was very proud of up until her passing in early 2020 at the age of 90. 🙂
Oh wow, I love that you have such a strong family connection to Mayfield! It really is a lovely place. I assume you have visited there?
@@MagentaOtterTravels
No, never I'm afraid. I have no other reason to visit that part of Britain which is why I found your excellent video so fascinating.
All my family roots are "oop North". 😉
Another great video. Hastings is an odd mix but, if you ever get back, you should try one the two funicular lifts that take you from the Old Town area up to the level of the castle. The town is famous for being the home of the World Crazy Golf Championship.
Yes, Ian was not a fan of Hastings "odd mix"... but I talked him into going there because I wanted to see it!
I haven't been there for years. Like a lot of people from the South East of England I grew up going to Hastings for day trips. Great day's.
If you head back that way, we highly recommend stopping in Mayfield!
Sounds good. I used to go there on a train or a works outing on a chara/ charabanc. Like del and Rodney in only fools and horses. The episode is called jolly boys outing..
@@neilgayleard3842 that is a very popular TV programme amongst the magenta otter tribe 😉
Cushty. That episode shows how people used to have fun on day trips. It's when del meets his wife.
I was thinking the same about San Francisco as you, Dara. Watching now.
Great minds 😉👍
Fun Fact: all spiral stairways in castles turn to the right. this is so the invaders sword hand is behind the central pillar and the defenders sword hand is free to swing.
Yes, I think that is genius. These castles were really well designed.
I pity anyone who had to walk in those narrow stone stairwells wearing armor and holding a heavy sword in one hand! Sounds like a brutal workout! Not to mention they were probably afraid for their life... so that got their heart beating even harder!
@@MagentaOtterTravels the soldiers in the castle would have only been wearing chainmail. as the full body armor was worn by cavalry. the fully armored guys were used as tanks to go in front of the main army to make holes in the enemy's frontline.
I wouldn't be able to walk up those stairs wearing chainmail... it's heavy too. Let alone the sword!@@jeanlongsden1696
Hastings is gorgeous….it reminds me of Folkestone…
If I'd known you were going to Hastings, I'd have arranged for you to discover 'beach hut life' - friend of ours has a beach hut on the beach there and lives on the edge of the old town. Best fish n chips anywhere on the south coast in several chippies near The Stade.
That does sound fun! We need to do that next time... when hopefully it isn't raining ;-)
@@MagentaOtterTravels well, give me a heads up and I'll try to sort it out for you. A real slice of Britishness ... when the sun's out! 🤣
@@shanewaterman4125 perfect! 🇬🇧
Hastings, near my home along the coast
Fun! We had such a great time exploring this whole area. 💖
That's an Austin Somerset. In the 1940s & 50s most of Austin's range was named after counties or county towns. There was a Devon, Dorset, Hereford, Cambridge, and one for the marketeer in you: they seriously considered calling the Mini the Austin Newmarket, because it was aimed at a "new market sector".
That is fascinating! I didn't know any of that. I would love to see all the different models of Austins. Do they have a museum somewhere?
And yes, that's really funny about the mini 🙃
There isn't a specific Austin museum. There are three main motor museums in Britain, the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, Coventry, and Gaydon in Warwickshire. Gaydon houses vehicles from all the manufacturers who eventually became part of British Leyland: Austin, Morris, Wolseley, Riley, MG, Jaguar, Rover, Standard and Triumph. As well as production cars they also have lots of prototypes of models that never made it to market.@@MagentaOtterTravels
@@davidjones332 interesting! We will have to think about going there!
@@MagentaOtterTravels Just outside Great Yarmouth, there's Caister Castle which is basically just a few walls with a tower you can go up but it has a transport museum on the property with all sorts inside!
The old car Dara is a 1953 Austin Devon .
Wow, you are good at identifying vehicles! Another person commented that Austin had named cars after several different counties/places. I never knew that. Very interesting!
Nice voice over Ian!
It's always a battle to get him to do it! Lol... that was the real Battle of Hastings!
For some weird reason your other comments went to purgatory and even though I APPROVED them to release them from jail... they disappeared! So, for the record... I would never call Ian a donkey! heehaw 😂
@@MagentaOtterTravels Stop trying to shut me down TH-cam!
@@WITYTRAVELS I hear you! The deleting police will not prevail! ✊
Paul McCartney from The Beetles has a windmill in East Sussex.
No way! I assume it's not the one I tried to visit... 😣🤔
@@MagentaOtterTravels Might have been.
@@MagentaOtterTravels No, it's near Winchelsea (where Spike Milligan is buried, with the epiphet "I told you I was ill!"
@@Pippins666 fascinating! You know a lot of obscure yet interesting facts! 🤣
@@Pippins666 It's in Peasmarsh.
2:25 That's a 1953 Austin A40 Somerset.
Someone else said it was a Devon. How do we settle this debate?
The Devon was the preceding model with a more upright design, sold until 1952. The Somerset has a more streamlined body. The line flowing back from the front wings (fenders) is the easiest way to differentiate. Straight on the Somerset, curving down on the Devon.
@@stonkr well done! You know your cars! Do you have an automobile museum you recommend? I would be interested in seeing old models of Austins if there's a place I can see them...
@@MagentaOtterTravels I can appreciate new cars but prefer older ones. If I had the space & time I'd get something from the 30s - maybe when I retire! I can recommend the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu (too many vowels but pronounced b-you-lee) on the south coast, although I haven't visited recently. Your visit could also include the New Forest for a picnic, if it's not raining.
@@stonkr sounds lovely!
2066 is fast approaching. I guess we should be making plans to attend the 1000th anniversary. Yeah, I'm may be being a tad optimistic. Travel insurance for centenarians may be a bit expensive. I googled Hastings to see exactly where it is and the first result was Hastings on the Mornington Peninsula about 1 and half hours from my place. I guess it ain't that one. 😁
Haha I met an American woman who is planning to go to Hastings in 2066 to celebrate 🎉🏴
@@MagentaOtterTravels Crikey! I don't know what I'm doing next week let alone in 43 years. 😂😂👴
In times gone by these 3 & 4 floor buildings were occupied b wealthy families. The upper floors would be occupied by paid hose keepers, cleaners and cooks staff. These days times have changed, these will converted into flats or apartments, helps with the housing shortages, very popular with new property owners and students, especially in the cities. The top floor rooms are often very warm and pokey.
Yes, and difficult to walk around in because of the slanted ceilings!! 😣
Did you see Foyle?
No. Too bad!
Born and raised in Hastings, but been in Dorset 44 years. Sir Cloudsley Shovell dies because of his own absolute arrogance. In the days when longitude was a matter of guesswork (before accurate clocks) it was difficult to know where you were. One humble seaman, but very experienced, reckoned they were running into danger because of the proximity of the Scillies, and went to Shovell to warn him. Navigation was the role of an officer and a gentleman, not a humble seaman, and Shovell had him hanged for his impudence - whereupon they all ran aground and dies exactly where the sailor said they would. The scene is shown graphically in the film "Longitude"
Oh wow! I figured there was more to that story than what I read... I wasn't sure how someone who led his whole ship full of sailors to their death was a hero?...
Did you go down to fishing beach (the Stade ) and see all the boats? Hastings is a real mixture isn’t it.
Yes, Hastings really is a mixture of different things! We did not do a very thorough exploration, to be honest. We had gone to church that morning, had a lunch reservation in Mayfield, and it was raining! 🙄
The kippers are always good.
@@neilgayleard3842 one day I'm going to be brave and try kippers!
Yes you should. The ones in Hastings are good. Just the kippers and some buttered brown bread. Great for breakfast.
@@neilgayleard3842 well I have also been urged, in the strongest of terms, to have smoked kippers in Craster Northumberland...
All saints st u don't like it the posh st in Hastings did go double there only half way down
“ Do something good in the world today ? “ Hmm, I’d like a rematch with the ( extensive expletives deleted ) Normans. Bless you Harold. You wuz robbed. End of … ( Nice vid by the way. Pity you missed the funicular cliff-top lift.)
Your rant made me smile. Yes, I'm sorry I missed the funicular!
My ancestors came over with William
Really?! Maybe they are shown on the Bayeux tapestry! Which, by the way, I would love to go see again. It's amazing!!
@@MagentaOtterTravels probably not, but who would know 🤷♂️
@@wencireone I think you should proudly claim they are part of the embroidery!
next time you visit hasting i will have a word with god, i will ask him ,more sun please.
Haha thank you 🙏
Surely Hastings came before San Fransico, ergo San Francisco copied Hastings
Oh my, someone's getting pedantic! I saw San Francisco first. And the world revolves around me 🤣
@@MagentaOtterTravels True, you are a ray of light 🌞
heehee @@wencireone
Well done in sounding so characteristically positive about Hastings! I find it depressing and poverty stricken and everyone i chat to when there seems to have been recently released from Lewes Nick. I was even going to move down there at one point (cheap property) to teach English, but thankfully decided not to.
OK, thank you SO MUCH! I needed a good laugh, and your first sentence gave me a high volume, hearty, belly laugh! You might not know this, but Ian is an architecture snob... if I suggest going someplace really popular that he deems architecturally ugly (Blackpool and Brighton come to mind...) he kindly refuses to go. We didn't really plan to go to Hastings, but we had just attended church nearby and I twisted his arm. I was glad we had a brief visit and I was able to wander round the castle. After that we went to the place Ian picked out... Mayfield! As you can see, it was a much prettier place and he got some lovely drone footage ;-) Cheers for your comment, Dara
You make a good point. My impression of the town is that it's a place that has potential to be really nice but needs to be better maintained. It felt rather dreary to me but the grey day we had when there didn't help. Also, the litter surrounding the castle didn't leave a good impression. The one exception was the beautifully and brightly painted Victorian homes scattered around the town. Seeing those made the visit worthwhile. Hope that that trend continues.
And I thought Shovell was in M People 😂
🤔?? You need to decipher that for me...
@@MagentaOtterTravels just Google M People 🎶
@@MagentaOtterTravels just Google M People 🎶
@@MagentaOtterTravels just search M People 🎶
@@MagentaOtterTravels please tell me you've heard of M People
Hasting is a dump. Anywhere east of dorset is horrid to me.
😐
Can someone explain to me why so many Americans now croak whilst they speak? It's especially true of the women but the men do it too. I listen to old interviews and bits of film and there is no evidence of it. I'd like to watch this properly but sorry, can't stick with the croaky voice.
🥺
What a cool road trip! Thank you for the reminder...visited Hasings so many years ago that I don't remember that much anymore..but the Castle is the same beautiful LOL ...Take care ...
I'm sure the castle is the same. Unless you visited there before 1827, lol! Cheers for watching! Dara
I think I was in Kindergarten then and could not travel on my own yet LMAO..@@MagentaOtterTravels