Folklore of the Old Town
There are two cannonballs on either side of the belfry window of St Clement's Church. Only the one on the right is genuine. It is said to have been fired into the tower by French or Dutch raiders. After the event the inhabitants of the Old Town placed a replica the other side to balance things up!
The picturesque Stag Inn in All Saints' Street dates back to Tudor times and boasts the unusual display of two mummified cats which hang in the bar. They were discovered in one of the chimneys while renovation work was being carried out. Many years ago, ancient Spanish gold coins were found behind an old fireplace in the pub. They were left by the notorious 'Chop Backers', a vicious band of smugglers who lured ships onto the sandbank beyond the Harbour Arm. They gained their name from the gruesome method they used to dispose of the crews. They slipped aboard and chopped their victims down with an axe in the back.
The Old Town of Hastings has a connection with the infamous Titus Oates, who lived in the town for a while. His father, Samuel, was rector of All Saints' Church and Titus appointed himself as his father's curate. A shady, unsavoury character, he later became involved in the fictitious Papist Plot in 1678, which fanned up religious hatred against the Catholics and resulted in the deaths of many innocents during the reign of Charles II. Oates was eventually exposed as a liar and severely punished. He is said to have lived close to Torfield House, which stands opposite All Saints' Church.
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