Torfield House.
This house still exists and adjoins " Old Hastings House " at the top of High Street, and now occupied by Dr. G. D. Compston. It was part of the Collier Estates, and is mentioned in Mr. Collier's will as " Torresfield." Its early history may be referred to in the " Collier Letters." Mr. Collier acquired it from a man named Wimble, but at the time of the apportionment of the Collier Estates, Mr. Edward Milward bought it for his daughters Maria and Frances to live in, and it was once occupied by them accordingly. It still remains in the Milward family. The present owner is Mrs. W. C. Sayer-Milward. In 1834 it was the residence of Sir Peckham Micklethwait, who received a baronetcy in recognition of his services in stopping the runaway horses of the carriage containing the Princess Victoria, and thus preventing a serious accident. The house was for many years the
residence of Miss Kingsbury, who will be remembered for her generosity and support of local charities.
When Hastings was a walled-in town there was a Gate at the sea end of High Street called the Drawbridge Gate, at the bottom of Oak Hill.
Between High Street and Bourne Street was the Hundred Place, where from time immemorial the Bailiffs (now Mayors) and Jurats, were elected in the open. According to the map of 1746 it was approached from High Street opposite the Swan and from Winding Lane. The ceremony took place on Hock-day, the second Tuesday after Easter, when the horn was the common mode of calling an assembly. This quaint proceeding is fully described in the Custumal, Clauses 1 to 6, Suss. Arch. Coll., v., 14. In Barry's -
