Hastings Ore - (Iron and the Turnpike)

General Details

It is probable that the area around Ore was one that the Romans used for iron working as a number of bloomeries have been found in the area A Roman road to Beauport at Battle, the main villa in the area has been uncovered.

There are windmills mentioned as being at Ore the first is mentioned in the will of John de Ore in 1361. During the 1800's two mills are known about the Black Mill (probably because it was coated in tar) and the second the White Mill which was built in the early 1850's. The Black Mill was burned down in 1900 on May 16th.

The Flimwell to Hastings turnpike was built between Ore and Battle along the Ridge in the early 1750's to provide a reasonable road inland. This route was used till 1836 when a new turnpike was built from St Leonards up Bohemia road to join the Battle to Ore turnpike near to the present day roundabout.

In 1836 on Christmas Day, the mail coach from London was caught in a severe snowstorm, it overturned and took 40 men to dig it out. During this time Hastings was cut off for 5 days and on December 27th 5 men walked to Battle about 5 miles, but it took them 9 hours, the storm must have been severe.

In the mid 1700's a small theatre was housed in some outbuildings of the Hare and Hounds public house in Ore , about 1 and 1/2 miles from the town. The Hastings Corporation refused to have a theatre in the town's jurisdiction until 1825, and Ore was located just outside of the Corporations reach. The Hastings & St Leonards Harriers formed in the 1830's met regularly at Ore pasonage to hunt foxes, hare and badgers. These animals were quite often caged and then released some time before the hunt left.

Views

The views across towards Rye and Winchelsea to the East are very pretty, with the road taking a steep dive down towards the village of Guestling .

The views over towards Westfield and the hills where Brede and Broad Oak Brede can be found are very impressive from the top of the hill.

Services

Ore is a very busy part of Hastings now with many shops and housing estates.

The Rye road has a Super Store with the Secondary School further up the road.

Map

Hastings Ore is shown as the red symbol on the map.

Nearby Villages
(click on symbol to see the village page)