111 Places in Hastings and Rye That You Shouldn’t Miss
By Norman Miller
Published by Emons
RRP: £13.99
First impressions: Size, quality and design
At A5 in size, this is a book designed to be taken out with you. It sits comfortably in the hand, slips easily into a bag, and feels robust enough to accompany a day of exploring.
Visually, it follows the familiar livery of the 111 Places series, here presented in a rich teal blue that feels entirely in keeping with the coastal character of Hastings and Rye. The cover is tactile and quietly refined, featuring an embossed illustration of the famous fishermen’s huts in Hastings, with a collage of locations on the reverse.
It’s also the sort of book that would make a thoughtful gift or sit neatly alongside others in the series as part of a curated collection. In short, it’s a nice thing to own.
Series, publisher and audience
111 Places in Hastings and Rye That You Shouldn’t Miss forms part of the “111 Places” series, aimed at both locals and experienced travellers who want to go beyond the obvious and uncover lesser-known stories, corners and curiosities. The book promises to inspire and has some beautiful descriptions from as early as the front inside cover, where it invites you to “dive in”.
Structure, layout and usability
The format is simple, and it works. Each entry is presented across a double-page spread: a page of text on the left, paired with a colour photo on the right, almost all of which were taken by the author, Norman Miller. Alongside the photograph sits a compact fact box with essential details: address, directions, opening hours, and a useful tip.
It’s a layout that strikes a careful balance between inspiration and usability. You can dip in briefly for a moment of curiosity or use it as a practical guide when planning a visit or while out and about.
At the back, a series of maps adds another layer of functionality. A broader map of 1066 Country situates the towns within their wider context, while more focused maps of St Leonards, Hastings and Rye make it easy to orient yourself on the ground. If you haven’t got a more detailed map to hand, those contained in the book are sufficient to help you find what you’re looking for.
Depth without overwhelm
What stands out immediately is the level of research and how well this book has been written and distilled. Each place is given just a single page, yet it never feels lacking. Instead, it lands in that elusive middle ground: enough substance to inform and intrigue, without overwhelming the reader.
The reality is that if you want to go exploring and discover a place at anything other than surface level, the research required takes time. Piecing together recommendations, filtering out the noise, and working out what is genuinely worth seeing. But here, that work has already been done.
Beauty and grit
Hastings, in particular, poses an interesting challenge. It is not uniformly picturesque. While Hastings Old Town is undeniably charming, there is also a grittiness to the newer part of the town. What’s refreshing is that the book does not shy away from this. Instead, it embraces the full character of the place, presenting it in all its complexity.
Take the America Ground, for example: a bohemian enclave where a vinyl shop sits alongside an art studio and a café selling tote bags for Gaza. Its name traces back to a brief declaration of independence from British rule, when an eight-and-a-half-acre “free state” emerged on a stretch of shingle shoreline. And it adds depth to the real narrative of Hastings beyond the postcard view and makes you want to visit and explore both sides of the town.
Favourite finds
My first favourite is the Unzipped Sewing Café, tucked beneath Marine Court in St Leonards; a quietly creative, community-focused space that you could easily walk past without noticing.
The second is the Edith and Harold statue, also in St Leonards. A subtle, moving tribute that reframes the story of 1066 through a more personal lens, and one I am now determined to seek out.
There are others, too. Cliff End and Pett Level, places you might initially overlook, but which the book gently persuades you are worth the detour. A Rye milliner with connections to Four Weddings and a Funeral and Poirot. And, perhaps most unexpectedly, the remains of John Breads, an 18th-century murderer whose skull still sits in a body-shaped cage in Rye Town Hall.
It is this mix, the creative, the historical, the slightly macabre, that makes the book so engaging.
Price and overall impression
At £13.99, this book is excellent value. Spanning Battle, Bexhill, Bodiam, Dungeness, Hastings, Herstmonceux, Pevensey, Rye and Winchelsea, this is a book that consistently delivers. And in every location, there were at least two or three places that made me stop and think, I didn’t know that was there.
This is not just a book to read. It is a book to act on. But alternatively, if you’re an academic who would prefer to stay at home, there is plenty to learn from this book and plenty to keep you engaged.
If you’d like to grab your copy, you can do so here: 111 Places in Hastings and Rye That You Shouldn’t Miss
About the Author
Norman Miller is an award-winning journalist for the BBC, The Times and The Guardian, writing across travel, food, history, art and culture. He is also a creative writer of theatre, poetry and short fiction, bringing narrative flair to the book.
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