Tackleway

This Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse occupies a commanding position in Hastings Old Town, overlooking the glens and gorse of Hastings Country Park as well as the rugged East Sussex Coast. With four-bedrooms, the house has been recently renovated in collaboration with a local designer, creating a home that encapsulates its seaside position while encompassing the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi – the celebration of nature and the imperfect. Expertise was also brought by a specialist builder who works for the National Trust. The street is among the most tranquil in the area, yet it is minutes from the heart of the Old Town with its creative shops, loved pubs and fine restaurants.

Setting the Scene

Hastings has gone through many iterations. Once a small fishing village, in the 14th century it became a smugglers haven and later, following the Napoleonic Wars, a popular seaside resort. Inaugurated in 1891, the West Hill Cliff Lift funicular railway has retained its original Victorian coaches and even today allows visitors to admire panoramic views of the town and sea.Tackleway was one of the last areas in Hastings Old Town to be developed due to its tricky terrain on the cusp of East Hill and the Hastings cliff line. Most of the homes in the area were built at the end of the 18th century and in the first half of the 19th century, with this house built in approximately 1810.

The recent restoration process of the house involved local conservators and craftsmen. Peg tiling at the rear was revealed by stripping the cement render and sourcing replacement tiles from local reclamation yards; the British slate roof and lead work over the bay windows and entrances were redone by local roofers. The façade was repaired with lime render and painted using Keim Mineral Paint – renowned for its resilience to coastal weather – in a biscuit hue that complements the black-framed sash windows and iron railings.