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Topic: Football pitches in Hastings and St Leonards

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Football Pitches past and present in Hastings and St Leonards

 

Following the recent 'Future Plans ' meeting that was held at The Pilot Field it got me thinking, how many local football pitches or venues within the Hastings and St Leonards have there been over the years and especially, how many have already disappeared ? So here is my list . See if you can add to them . I'm not so curious about how many pitches there were but the venues themselves .

 

 

Starting with Bulverhythe. There were always a few and obviously more have been added over the years as the Tip was reclaimed . There were two on the left hand side of the tip road. I remember Hastings Rangers played on the second pitch along .

Two on the lower tier, one near to the tip road played on by my old team Old Centmodians and one up the far end, plus cricket and hockey pitches .

There were then about 6 pitches on the second tier. I dare say there are more now.

 

Moving east , there were two or three at South Saxons .One is still being used by the academy school I expect, but in my day it was used by George Rainey school based in London Road ,St Leonards

 

Moving up slightly, Harley Shute Road. There were at least three pitches there back in the 70's now gone and made way for a primary school. My Old youth team West Hill Boys club played there amongst others.

 

 

The Grove School ...what happened to the Grove School ? .I assume it has been pulled down and built on but the grounds had at least two pitches.

 

Moving up ,,,Wishing Tree Road ..there is of course Hollington United's ground and that is still there but a little further up on the left there was another played on by Silverton right at the end of the road. The space is still there but no longer a pitch I believe. One downside was the slope at the side of the pitch . If the ball went down there it would take a few minutes to get it back

 

 

Heading North you have the Tilekiln pitches , 2 or 3 ? I cant remember ,,,I think they are still there

 

Back into Hollington there is the primary school with their little pitch , still there I assume ?

 

Coming more centrally ,St Paul's Primary school had a pitch .I think that's gone. Right next to it , currently Horntye, there were three pitches, of course all gone to make way for the Cricket ground

 

There use to be football played on The Oval . I have photos of my uncle playing for Travaux on there in 1969. If you care to look over the wall that goes around the back of the Oval there was another pitch that was used by the language school . No idea if that's still there

 

Then over the road to Summerfields there use to be a small pitch used by St Mary Magdalene School. The scene of my first competitive match for All Saints back in 1971. Of course long gone and made way for the “Olympic Sized “ swimming pool !!

I believe that some sort of football was played in White Rock Gardens at some point in time as there was on the Central Ground (now Priory Meadow ) but I'm not sure of the details.

 

Not sure if there was a pitch at Silverdale school , cant remember and moving around the corner at William Parker (The Grammar School to me) there were and still are I assume a few pitches

 

 

 

Harrow Lane , up the top on the right there were three good sized pitches. I understand they are gone or going and will be built on sometime soon no doubt ?

 

 

The girls have got a pitch at Helenswood Lower School and I seem to remember there being a pitch on the site of the Hastings Centre opposite the Conquest.

Not sure if there are any at Helenswood Upper School though

Then there are the three pitches that are still in use at Sandrock by the petrol station on The Ridge, but the one opposite on the corner has long gone . Was a nice pitch that too.

 

There use to be a pitch at the top right of St Helens Down called The Pines . A lovely little ground used by Sandown school, its since been built on . Not sure why Sandown used it because there use to be at least two pitches behind their school nestled just before Coghurst Woods. Although I think they were senior picthes

Are they still there anyone ?

 

Back tracking a bit now and dropping down of course to The Firs and Pilot Field .

Then down Elphinstone Road even further we use to have a ground with possibly the biggest slope in the town known locally as The BOS , believed to named after The Boys Own Society that played there after WW2.

The area is still there but no longer used for football

 

Elphinstone Primary School had two lovely little pitches . I would like to think they are still there ?

 

Up into Ore, there use to be a pitch behind the Millers Arms entered on the left as you went down Rock Lane or alleyway up beside the pub. Was built on years ago .

There were some pitches up on The Hastings Academy site (Hillcrest)There are still some there but possibly plastic pitches now, I'm not sure

 

Red Lake Primary school (Now Ore Primary Academy ) had a pitch but I think that's gone too

 

Now the next one went years ago but I am reliably informed by Dad that he use to play on a pitch where The Glebe is in Bembrooke Road back in the 50's

 

Up in Barley Lane there is now a pitch just below the Shearbarn caravan camp. Built in honour of the great Dave Brown who ran Tackleway Boys club for so many years

 

And then we have the dear old East Hill which at one time housed one junior pitch (Home to All Saints and Sacred Heart schools ), Three senior football pitches, a Rugby and a cricket pitch ,plus the Pitch and Putt course

Oh the memories !!! So many good times up there.

Today ? All gone !!

 

 

 

I know Leon Petitt has been interested in this subject before and some of my info has come from his feedback over the years , especially about The BOS

 

 

 

So that's it as far as I can remember and before you all say “ you have far too much time on your hands Windy “ ..you can all get back to your X FACTOR now ! biggrinbiggrinbiggrin

I have been working on this for a while to be fair.

 

 

 

 

 



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Nice read John!

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John, certainly remember the 'Pines '. When I was at Sandown School we had to walk from School Road, near Mount Road, all the way to the Pines before we even started playing , a long way. I think it was built on long before the new school was build near the bottom of Winchelsea Road. There were indeed 2 pitches at the back of the new school, don't know if they are still there. We used to call them ' Harvey Tarvey ' for some obscure reason. Great post by the way.

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Yeah great post Windy, a combination of football and local history, right up my street...

At Bulverhythe the first couple of pitches to be laid out were next to where the White pavilion building stands today in the late 20s and Hastings Rangers were the first team to call the site 'home'. The pitches on the next tier up may well have been the site of the Pebsham Aerodrome, which ceased to be use as an airfield in the early 60s according to a quick google search.

The first known use of the South Saxons field was for Horse Racing and once also played host to county cricket. I believe back when my nan was at school the field was used for town sports before moving up to the running track at William Parker.

The Grove has been pulled down and the fields remain waiting for some developer to come along and squeeze as much housing as inhumanely possible onto the site...

Tilekiln is still there, most of my away games seemed to be there last season in the ESFL prem, I remember it being called the Helipad a lot when I was a kid... Never seen it used as one though?

Copied from my website...

The Oval - Originally known as Hickmans Field, this site was first used as a rugby pitch in 1915 and by the post World War One years was playing host to football matches, used by various local teams. The field was renamed the 'Oval' after the Borough Improvement Scheme between 1914 and 1919, which saw the creation of the present day White Rock Gardens.

There was indeed football played on White Rock Gardens and was imaginatively name the 'Sports Ground' , I've copied more from my website for anyone's who's interested...

Opened in 1904 for football and hockey, the venue was built on what was back then known as the 'Brisco Estate', today the site of the bowling greens in front of Falaise gym. The first teams to use the ground were St Leonards Football Club and Rock-a-Nore, as the primary and secondary tenants respectively. The ground became the premier venue for football in Hastings and hosted Southern League football between 1906 and 1910. The ground was lost as part of a local 'Improvement Scheme' which turned the Sports Ground and surrounding waste land into White Rock Gardens (Bowls, Tennis Courts and Falaise pavilion) and the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, which had been completed by 1919.

I remember playing football at Silverdale for Christchurch against the likes of Steve Cook, Matt Scott and Josh Pelling, only a kids pitch though and probably not enough room for a adult pitch.

I believe the Pitch behind the Millers Arms is now the site of Sandown school fields, I think first used as football pitches possibly around the WWI era on what was then a farmers field.

 

Have discovered a few more sites in my research, the first being at Silverhill on what is now the car park for ASDA, first used as a cricket pitch and played host to some Southern League games in the early 1900s. I believe the last team to use the pitch were Hollington United in the late 40s, when my great grandad was playing for them, before they moved to Gibbons Field down Wishingtree. The construction of the Ponswood estate saw the end of this bit of green space.

Another site used by Hollington when my great grandad was playing was down Windmill Road, past the piggeries and farmland, on a pitch which is now part of a housing estate just off Gillsmans Hill as you go past the crossing, which backs onto the industrial estate.

St Leonards Green was the where the very first recorded game of football took place in the town, now the site of the tennis club.

There were also pitches at up Old Roar Road and Old Church Road, both used by Hollington in there very early days, when my great great grandfather was involved. I think the pitch up Old Road would have been opposite where the block of flats near the roundabout is now and was also known as Silverhill Park. But can't find any maps that help with precise location of the pitch up Old Church, most likely a farmers field...

Have enjoyed my exchanges with Windy about local football history when setting up my website, which you can find below my post if you're interested. Haven't updated for ages now, need to get back on it!!



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Thank you Phil and Leon ,

 

---------

 

Phil -- I forgot that Sandown school use to be in School Road . That might explain why they used the Pines then ?  Yes that must have been a hike to play . It was like that for us at All Saints , Sacred Heart and Priory Road schools . We use to have to march up the top the East Hill for our home matches . Sometime the teachers use to make us wear football boots on that march and no trackie tops...worked though as we won a lot more games than we lost

Interesting to read about the Coghurst pitches too , not heard of that name before

--------

 

Leon -- What can I say ? I knew you would come up trumps (Maybe we shouldn't be using they word Trumps anymore furious ) here with loads of extra info. Thank you so much 

I had heard about the Horse Racing at South Saxons , although some of that use to stretch where the old golf course was. That stretched over what is now Harley Shute Rd near the old viaduct towards Pebsham and near to the new proposed Untied stadium I believe

What a waste The Grove site is then ? 

Shame there isn't still football in White Rock Gardens . I could watch games easily from my bedroom window !biggrin

I cant ever remember playing Silverdale so wasn't sure about their set up 

I had no idea about the ASDA , Windmill Rd, Old Church Rd and The Green pitches...thank you for the input. I do vaguely remember a pitch in Old Road Rd but further up in the grounds of the old school/children's home. I might be wrong

So guys , thanks again and I strongly advise anyone who is interested in this subject of local football history to check out Leon's website when he's done . Very refreshing for someone so young too !

Were there any other pitches out there that we've forgotten or not aware of ? Anyone ?

Cheers guys

 

 



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Thanks Windy and Leon for your posts bringing back memories of when we were young and fit enough to play football on some of those pitches...some almost like mudbaths at times not like today.I went to SILVERHILL Primary school (the one before Silverdale) and we played on the pitch where ASDA carpark is now. I played on the pitch you mentioned in Wishing Tree for Silverton Rangers ,as you said, a terrible slope. Then played at BULVERHYTHE for Hastings Rangers for a number of years and when the pitch on the left hand of the tip road was first used we had to collect glass and bits in a bucket before playing ! Also remember playing on the East Hill in a gale when our keeper took a goal kick which went to the edge of the penalty area,, got caught by the wind , a!nd ended back into his arms. Often after games there was just a cold bowl of water to wash the worst of the mud off....oh happy days!. For those interested in the history of local soccer teams one of the best was written by Harry Veness entitled " Some Past Greats of local soccer...from 1908 - 1965", in which he records the history of all the good local sides and their players and details of some of the stars of the day. ( I have a copy of this).

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Thanks Girling , I'll keep my eyes peeled for a copy of that . I read a book by Harry once before . Can't remember that exact name but had something like "oojemaflip" on the title . It was basically a very detailed tour of the Old Town , shop by shop between the wars . Was excellent. I often wonder if he is related to Glenn Veness . His videos of the Old Town are awesome ! 



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Interesting stuff Girling. Was the Silverhill school the one that stood on the corner or Paynton Rd and Sedlescombe Rd North (now flats)? Did you grow up in Silverhill? You might have known my Nan's family the Saxbys...

That'd be a really interesting read, will have to see if they have any copies down the library. Harry Veness also wrote books covering the history of Rock-A-Nore and Hollington United, which I know I can read down the library but am yet to get around to it.

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Windy wrote:

Thanks Girling , I'll keep my eyes peeled for a copy of that . I read a book by Harry once before . Can't remember that exact name but had something like "oojemaflip" on the title . It was basically a very detailed tour of the Old Town , shop by shop between the wars . Was excellent. I often wonder if he is related to Glenn Veness . His videos of the Old Town are awesome ! 


 This is the book i remember by Harry Venness :- "Whatever happened to the Oojah Kappivv ?  A stroll down memory lane in the Old Town Hastings"

A great read if you can get your hands on it

 

 

 

 



-- Edited by Windy on Monday 28th of November 2016 07:11:48 PM

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Excellent post/s Windy, really enjoyed reading them.

I am not sure if you are aware, but our current Hastings United, when under the banner of Hastings Town, and playing County League in the late 70's, played at Bulverhythe on a temporary basis. So should the new stadium go ahead, and let's hope it does, we won't be playing there for the first time. I have found a page from a programme from 1980 to confirm this.

I also have included a programme for Hastings Rangers as I know you like these old programmes.

Once again, well done on an excellent post.



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Yes Leon that was the primary school I attended. I was born in 1941 and lived 2 houses away from Gowers nursery in Sedlescombe rd nth. Lived there until 1954 and remember the Saxby name but did not know personally. Windy I also have a copy of Harry Veness,s book about the Old Town...a fascinating read as my mums family were fishermen and lifeboatmen there.My copy s signed by him in 1987 and the Oojah Kappivvy term is the Old Town equivalent of Thingummybob and Wossname. His father and a number of his uncles played for Rock a Nore and his daughter Anne Slacke ran the drama school Hastings Stage Studio.

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Hi Girling , My Granddad was born in Brewers Cottages , The Bourne and often referred to ,anything he couldn't remember the name of , to a similar name of " Ooojarmaflip"  .... must have been an Old Town thing.            Meanwhile there is a great contribution from someone on Facebook on this subject if this thread.   https://www.facebook.com/HAPP1066/posts/425662274224327   Thanks to Chris Giles .   



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Thanks Vernon, love the old stuff you share as you have an awesome collection 👍

Girling, my nan was born in 46 and was part of the first batch of infants to start at Silverdale. My great Grandad played for Hollington United after the second world war well into the 50s.

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Good evening Windy and Leon, noticed these postcards on sale on eBay earlier. No idea what year, but that is a pitch at Westerleigh School. Used to be in Hollington Park Road, but long gone. That's all I know, thought you may be interested.



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Fantastic pictures Vernon. Are they lining up with real guns?



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Fantastic Vernon . I had no idea that there were pitches behind Westerleigh School ....i was never that privileged to be able to play there.

Looks like Simon Rudkins could have been called in to sort their pitch out though !!

Thank you

 

 

Anyone else with missing pitches ? ....There must be some more out there that I forgot or haven't since been told about  ?

 



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Found this picture postcard (oh wonderful eBay) of Tower Road School Football Team. Anyone any idea where there pitch would have been? Or even the location of the school. I have no idea of the date.

Also this picture postcard of Hastings University 1st eleven, from 1908. Once again same questions... ...as this postcard had been sent, have also included a picture of the back for nostalgic purposes.



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Vernon, may be wrong but didn't Tower Road School eventually become Woodlands Secondary School for Girls....no idea where they would have played. Seems some of the players are wearing 'Snake Belts ' which I can remember.
I suppose the sadness about these photos dated 1908 is that just 6 years later many of them would have faced the slaughter of the First World War.

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Tower Road School was where the name suggests, Tower Road, between Bohemia Rd and London Rd. As Phil correctly states went on to become Woodlands School for Girls and now the site of Christchurch School. Think it may have also been either the lower or upper school for the Grove before it moved to Darwell Close.

My great-grandad attended Tower Road, my Nan, Woodlands and I went to Christchurch, my Dad spoiling that sequence by going to Hollington...

Most of their games were played at either Bo-Peep/West Marina/South Saxons, at the bottom of Filsham by the West St Leonards community centre or at Silverhill, now the site of ASDA.

I know the University School was down Holmesdale Gardens, not sure if it ever moved site, but they also played at Bo-Peep, Silverhill and other pitches closer to the town centre.

Schools from the east end of town, such as Mount Pleasant and Priory Road played on the East Hill.

I think most private schools in the area either played on their own land by the school, or had exclusive use of a nearby rented/purchased field.



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I went to Priory Road in the 60`s/70`s Leon, I would alternate between football one week then cross country the next week, let me tell you, that was b..... cold in the winter on the East Hill, aah, happy days..

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Got the pleasure of playing at Tackleway in a couple of weeks, everytime I've played there it's been like playing in the arctic circle!

Just completed a page on the Pilot Field on my website, mainly about the early history of the site...

hastingsfootballhistory.co.uk/grounds/pilotfield.php

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Great Job Leon!

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Cheers Bert, I also share some stuff via twitter and facebook if you don't already follow my profile on there...

twitter.com/HFH_1066
www.facebook.com/hastingsfootballhistory/

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