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History of the Park
Alexandra Park lies with steep-sided, largely wooded valleys at its northern extreme. Evidence has been found that suggests an early medieval settlement in the area of Shornden, including fragments of pottery and the existence of structures that may have been charcoal kilns.
By the end of the 18th century, Hastings was developing quickly as a notable south coast resort. In 1849 the Eversfield Waterworks Company was formed to supply water to the town's growing population. They leased land from the Eversfield Estate and by 1852 the Shornden and Harmers Reservoirs had been built.
Construction of the Buckshole reservoir had also started. At the other end of the park construction of the Hastings to Ashford railway line had got underway and a huge embankment formed the southern boundary to the park.
In 1877 the Council commissioned Robert Marnock (one of the 19th century's outstanding horticulturalists and garden designers) to: "provide the bulk of the trees and shrubs which are likely to be required for the public park". A limit of £250 was set.
The park Alexandra Park was officially opened on June 26 1882 by the Prince and Princess of Wales (Princess Alexandra). A great procession took place from the railway station and once at the park the royal guests were introduced to Robert Marnock. Two memorial trees (believed to be limes) were planted and an album of photographs was presented to Princess Alexandra by Robert Marnock.
The event attracted great interest in the media of the day, including the London Illustrated News. The Hastings and St Leonards Observer gave a colourful account of the Park and concluded that Alexandra Park "will make one of the most picturesque and characteristic features of Hastings".
Alexandra Park is now on the English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
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Green Flag Award
Alexandra Park achieved the prestigious Green Flag Award for the sixth year running in 2010. The award recognises how well the park has been managed and its value to the wider community. In 2008, we carried out safety improvements at the Buckshole Reservoir and resurfaced several paths. We're also refurbishing the playground in 2009 thanks to funding from the Government's pathfinder programme.
As a Grade II Park of Historic Interest, Alexandra Park has also achieved the coveted Green Heritage Award.
The award scheme is run by the Civic Trust and in 2008/09 attracted 682 applications from across the UK.
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Grand Reopening video with Charlie Dimmock
Straight from our YouTube Channel this video shows the Summer 2004 Grand Reopening of our stately Victorian Park - featuring horticultural legend Charlie Dimmock!
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Wildlife
The park is well known for its diverse and abundant wildlife, especially at the Northern end, known as 'Old Roar Gill' which is now a Local Nature Reserve.
Kingfishers and Grey Wagtails breed throughout the park and can be seen any time of the year, especially at Bucks-hole Reservoir and Harmers Pond.
Due to the closeness of the coast, many rare and scarce migrant birds visit the park including Night Heron, Little Bittern, Honey Buzzard and Ferruginous Duck.
Wild Orchids grow on the grassy banks around the park including Common Spotted Orchids, Green-Winged Orchids, Common Twayblade, and Autumn Ladies Tresses. Within Old Roar Gill, Broad-Leaved Helleborines and early Purple Orchids grow on the woodland floor.
Daubentons Bats can be seen flying over Shornden Reservoir on Summer evenings, and Noctule and Pipistrelle Bats are also seen regularly.
The park is also the only place in Hastings where the beautiful Demoiselle breeds. This is a large metallic green and blue damselfly and can be seen along the stream in the Lower Park during Summer. The park is best-known for the superb Toothwort population, which can number over 500 plants, in the Lower Park, and smaller numbers within Old Roar Gill.
Old Roar Gill & Coronation Wood, a Local Nature Reserve open to the public, is one of the most unexpected treasures of Hastings. It is a deeply cut, narrow valley running along the upper reaches of the stream that rises on the sandstone ridge to the north of the town and eventually through Alexandra Park, then on to the sea.
The word 'Gill' is well-known in the north of England as well as being in general use in Sussex for these small, steep-side valleys. It was originally an Old Norse word and may have been introduced directly into Sussex by the Vikings, or brought in much later by people moving to the area from the north of England.
One of the special insects of the gill that breeds in the wet, dead wood that is abundant in the gill is the cranefly Lipsothrix nervosa. This is not only rare and declining in Britain, it is one of the country's rather few endemic species that are found nowhere else in the world.
This gill woodland makes a wonderful habitat for a wide range of birds and those that nest here include spotted flycatcher, kingfisher, grey wagtail and lesser spotted woodpecker.
Coronation Wood was planted in 1937 as part of a scheme to celebrate the coronation of King George VI and further trees, or replacements, have been added from time to time. It is managed as amenity woodland with trees that will be allowed to develop to full maturity as the most important features. Many of these are oaks grown from acorns gathered in Windsor Great Park.
Old Roar Gill is a permanently open area and visitors are welcome at any time of year. The lower end of the gill is about 15 to 30 minutes walk from Hastings town centre and railway station and much of this walk is through Alexandra Park. The path through Coronation Wood is the most accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
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Friends of Alexandra Park
This group is made up of members of the community who are interested and care about the Park. They meet monthly and contribute to the management of the park. For just one pound a year you can become a member and help protect and promote the park for everybody.
