St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex

St. Leonards-on-sea, East Sussex is a charming seaside town situated on the South East coast. The original town was created by famous architect James Burton in the early 19th century and was intended as a holiday resort for the bourgeois; attracting both aristocracy and royalty to its grandeur.

St Leonards has some of the most magnificent architecture in all of East Sussex; including the popular Royal Victoria Hotel and the Clock House, as well as many of the seafront houses located along what is now known as The Marina. The striking St Leonards Archway (also created by Burton) was a central architectural feature of the town and was used to separate St. Leonards from the nearby town of Hastings. After being destroyed by builders in 1859, only a small section of archway sadly remains. Another notable building is North Lodge, which was originally used as a tollgate between Hastings and the northern section of St. Leonards. The pyramid-shaped Burton family tomb is located in the old burial grounds of St Leonards’ parish church.

St Leonards also has a double-decker promenade which stretches from nearby Hastings to the Warrior Square area of the town. Dubbed “bottle alley” during its construction in the 1930’s, the walls are flecked with broken glass decoration that form pretty mosaics. This type of promenade is not only unique to East Sussex, but is also the only one of its kind in Britain.

There are also several formal parks in St. Leonards, including the recently renovated St Leonards Gardens (Heritage Fund sponsored), as well as Gensing Gardens, Marwick Square Gardens and Warrior Square Gardens located along the seafront.

St. Leonards’ historic buildings, beautiful parks and abundant choice of delightful B&B’s, restaurants and hotels means it is the ideal choice for an East Sussex break that is packed with adventure.