1936 On the Continent

reason of its being within such easy reach of many picturesque and interesting places, Folkestone makes a splendid centre for those who wish to explore Kent, the county which claims with the Isle of Wight the proud title of “The Garden of England.” Apart from inland trips, there are summer excursions by sea to Dover, Deal, Ramsgate and Margate, and also to Boulogne; this last trip occupying no more than an hour and a half.
Hastings
    Apart from its other attractions, Hastings is inevitably associated with 1066 “and all that,” and might well be called a living page of English history. Truth to tell, though, William did not actually land at Hastings, though his army camped there before the famous battle. One of the famous Cinque Ports, it played an important part in the French wars of the eighteenth century—or its inhabitants did, since it was alleged against them that many were little better than pirates! These facts, together with what remains of the old town, or fishing quarter, gives the place a romantic flavour that detracts nothing from its charm.
    A well-known and highly-esteemed watering-place in Victorian days, of late years Hastings has discarded its crinolines and, as the saying is, “gone gay.” Neither effort nor expense has been spared in making the place attractive, or in providing entertainments for the visitor; indeed, there is scarcely any form of amusement, from Sunday concerts to beauty shows, that it does not provide in due season.
St. Leonards
    If, however, the visitor should tire of so much junketing, there is the calm and placid S T. L EONARDS , which takes its pleasures somewhat more sedately and provides rest and quiet for those who need them. Many pleasant trips and excursions are to be had both by land and water. A visit should certainly be made to Battle, for it was here that the real Battle of Hastings—or Senlac—was fought. The most notable feature here is the famous old abbey which William erected on the spot where Harold fell.About twelve miles to the West of Hastings is P EVENSEY , the spot where William actually did land, and it is well worth a visit. R YE lies eleven miles on the other side and fully justifies its claim to be one of the most picturesque towns in the south of England, if not in the whole kingdom. This must not be missed, for it contains some remarkable examples of seventeenth century architecture, notably The Mermaid Inn, and the house called The Hospital.
    These and many other places of interest are within easy reach of Hastings so that, if the visitor tires of the more hectic amusements, he can profitably spend a few hours in exploring. The new sea-front pavilion at B EXHILL should, not be missed by those interested in fine modern architecture.
Southsea
    Though it is only of comparatively recent years that Southsea has laid itself out to attract the holiday visitor, it has always been a favourite place with the discerning. To begin with, it has boating and bathing facilities which few seaside towns can equal The fact that its shores are protected by the Isle of Wight (referred to locally simply as “the island”), which forms a sort of huge breakwater shielding them from southerly gales, gives the town a huge advantage over those not so favourably placed. Apart, also, from the various entertainments provided, there is always “something going on” here.
The Shipping and Portsmouth
    One may stand on Southsea beach, or stroll along its wonderful promenade, and never for a moment is there any lack of something interesting to watch. Warships, from battle-cruisers to destroyers, are constantly passing in and out of Portsmouth Harbour; magnificent paddle-steamers are for ever crossing the stretch of water that separates the Isle of Wight from the mainland, and yachts, large and small, are to be seen skimming across the usually placid waters. The front itself is almost a nautical museum, for here are to be seen the
Victory’s
anchor, guns from the Crimea and others from famous ships such as the
Aboukir
and the
Trident
, and also an obelisk marking the spot where the body of Felton—the Duke of Buckingham’s assassin—was hung after his execution.
    Southsea merges into P ORTSMOUTH imperceptibly on the north-west, and the latter is full of historic associations naval, military and literary. Here Charles Dickens was born (at 393, Commercial Road, which now serves as a Dickens Museum). It is also the birthplace of George Meredith and Sir Walter Besant.