The statue of Prince Albert will be installed by the town hall

In February 2015, a bid put forward by campaigners was refused planning consent by Hastings Borough Council, going against officers’ recommendations.

Members said the statue’s condition was so poor it would not be suitable for display alongside the town hall, which is a Grade-II listed building.

Campaigners submitted an appeal to have the decision overturned, which was successful.

A new heritage group, the Albert Statue Group, was formed early this year to raise funds for the project.

Hastings Lions Club came forward with a generous donation for buying and installing the new Portland stone pedestal on which the statue is to be erected.

There have also been donations from members of the public who are keen to see the long-neglected statue back in the public domain.

Roger Wilcock, of A. C. Towner Ltd has been advising on the project, and he is doing some of the preparatory work free of charge, with consent from his employer Edward Towner, as this is a community project without financial support from the council.

The life-size statue of Prince Albert, sculpted in Portland stone by Edwin Stirling at his Liverpool studio, was saved for the town by Edith Skelton, who bought it from the demolition firm for £50.

Read more: http://www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/news/local/work-to-start-on-installation-of-hastings-statue-1-7416965#ixzz4AuIcC7Yf

New Exhibition at the History House

Please Support Model Railways

A miniature railway will be returning to Alexandra Park later this month after years of absence.

It follows months of hard work over the autumn and winter to get the overgrown train tracks into a fit state.

Further plans include turning the middle area into a family picnic area, continuing the parameter fences round the site and a mid way station, (for use on planned Christmas specials.

“We also are looking into opening the railway up for private children’s birthday parties.”

The railway is situated in the upper park, near to the Buckshole Reservoir, with easy access from St Helens Road.

The new railway will be officially opened on Saturday February at 11am. The site is being opened by the mayor and other guests, from 10.30am onwards.

Once opened the railway will be open every Saturday and Sunday throughout the year, bank holidays (excluding Christmas Day) and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday’s during the school holidays. Rides will be £1 per person.

Hastings in top five English ‘heritage assets’–Bring back the Hastings Embroidery and we may rank higher!

The report found Hastings to be in the top one per cent for industrial heritage and parks and open spaces, as well as the top five per cent for landscape and natural heritage and for ‘cultures and memories’.

“The heritage of the town is marked and celebrated through some of the largest number of Heritage Open Days and blue plaques in the country,” the RSA report says.

Hastings ranks in the top nine per cent for museums, archives and artefacts and for ‘historic built environment’, the town is in the top 12 per cent.

Hastings has been named in the top five English ‘heritage assets’ – above Oxford and other historic locations.

The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) released a report into the country’s heritage on Wednesday (September 23).

The RSA define heritage as, “anything inherited from the past that helps us, collectively or individually, to understand the present, and create a better future.”

www.thersa.org/discover/publications-and-articles/reports/seven-themes-from-the-heritage-index.

Alexandra Park - Memories

Do you have photos, postcards, memories of Alexandra Park?  They are needed for an upcoming exhibition.. Please bring into the History House, 21 Courthouse Street, open Thursday - Sunday, 11- 4, or email ohps@ophs.org.uk