Historic churches · South East England
St. Clements Caves
In or near Guestling.
St Clements Caves are show caves located on the West Hill in Hastings, East Sussex. The caves were named after a nearby parish church and since 1989 are home to the "Smugglers Adventure" tourist attra
Oast House Archive — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 30 min–1 h
- Nearest railway station
- Marine Parade Station · 0.3 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
About
St Clements Caves are show caves located on the West Hill in Hastings, East Sussex. The caves were named after a nearby parish church and since 1989 are home to the "Smugglers Adventure" tourist attraction which tells the story of smuggling on the South Coast of England 200 years ago.
Photo gallery
Official information
St. Clements Caves are a network of underground caves in Hastings, historically used for various purposes including as a home and hospital. Visitors can explore the caves and learn about the area's smuggling history and the secrets hidden within.
Protected designations
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: High Weald
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
St Clements Caves are show caves located on the West Hill in Hastings, East Sussex. The caves were named after a nearby parish church and since 1989 are home to the "Smugglers Adventure" tourist attraction which tells the story of smuggling on the South Coast of England 200 years ago.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The earliest written reference about the caves was about an old man and woman who were discharged from the town workhouse for misbehaviour and who lived in the mysterious caves from 1783. The couple lived at the bottom of the 'Monks Walk', a 140 feet (44 metres) long tunnel which is now the start of the caves tour. In the 1820s, the caves were rediscovered by a local grocer named Joseph Golding. He was cutting a garden seat into the side of the cliff for his boss when he broke through to the vast cavern. They became a tourist attraction in 1864 and were visited by the Prince and Princess of Wales. In 1873 the caves received another royal visit from Prince Albert and Prince George Frederick.…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 50.8580, 0.5900
- County
- East Sussex
- District
- Hastings
- Parish
- Hastings, unparished area
- Postcode
- TN34 3HY
- Parliamentary constituency
- Hastings and Rye
- Phone
- +44 1424 422964
- Nearest railway station
- Marine Parade Station — 0.3 km
- Opening
- Jan-Oct 10:00-17:00
- Official site
- www.smugglersadventure.co.uk
Sources
- wikipedia: St. Clements Caves (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is St. Clements Caves?
- St. Clements Caves is in East Sussex, South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode TN34 3HY), in the parish of Hastings, unparished area.
- What is St. Clements Caves?
- St Clements Caves are show caves located on the West Hill in Hastings, East Sussex. The caves were named after a nearby parish church and since 1989 are home to the "Smugglers Adventure" tourist attra
- How do I get to St. Clements Caves?
- The nearest railway station is Marine Parade Station, about 0.3 km away. Drivers can use postcode TN34 3HY.
- Is St. Clements Caves a protected site?
- Yes — St. Clements Caves is part of the High Weald National Landscape (AONB).
- Is St. Clements Caves free to visit?
- Yes, St. Clements Caves is free to enter.
- How do I get to St. Clements Caves?
- The nearest railway station is Marine Parade Station, about 0.3 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode TN34 3HY.