SPORTS, PASTIMES, AND AMUSEMENTS.
Cock-Fighting. Turning to the ""Collier Letters" for information on this subject, I find that Cock Fighting was one of the sports indulged in by the rich. In England this sport flourished for fully six centuries, and the cockpit at Whitehall was erected and patronised by royalty. A visitor to London in 1709 describes the Grays Inn cockpit as "round like a tower, with benches rising all round."
In a letter of January, 1746, Mr. Godfrey Webster, of Battle Abbey, writes to Mr. Collier at Hastings : "Am much obliged to you in getting some Walks for my game cocks ; I propose to send them tomorrow, if it is convenient to you to let me know the farmers' names where they are to go, that I may send for them when they are to fight." Cock-fighting. was a specially sanctioned annual sport of public schools, the schoolmaster receiving a regular tax from the boys on the occasion, which was on Shrove Tuesday. In confirmation of this, one of Mr. Collier's sons, then at the Westminster School, writing to him in 1749, informs his father that he had bought some good fighting-cocks.
Fox Hunting. This is mentioned in 1750, when Parson Woodward, of Fairlight, speaks of an invitation from Mr. Milward "to partake of ye diversion and exercise of a fox-chase at Fairlight." At the present time the cliffs at Fairlight afford good sport for the members of the East Sussex Hunt. It is also recorded that on February 6th, 1824, Mr. Edward Wenham, a rich and sporting resident of 10, Wellington Square, entertained a large number of friends at dinner here after a Fox-hunt.
"Rabbitting." The Coney Banks, on the slopes of the West Hill, at Croft Lane (shown in the plan of the Collier Lands) was a rabbit warren, and, indeed, all over the Castle Hill rabbits were strictly preserved by Mr. Collier, and afterwards by Mr. Edward Milward, his son-in-law, for the purposes of sport for themselves and their friends.
It is also reported that a man found guilty of wiring these rabbits was sent to prison for three months ! At a later date, Mr. Milward mentions the fact that if this rabbit-warren was abandoned, he could find plenty in the Castle. (See the "Collier Letters.") A view of these Coney Banks is given on next page. This particular spot has not much altered, excepting no rabbits are left. There is now a rough path from the West Hill to Croft Lane and Torfield over these Coney Banks, and they are still known and so called by old Hastingers.
Cricket. When this still popular game was first played is lost in obscurity. The earliest matches of which scores have been preserved, were those of Kent and All England, decided on the Honorable Artillery Ground, Finsbury, in 1746. And the first written laws of the game were drawn up by a Committee of Noblemen and Gentlemen who met at the Star and Garter, in Pall Mall, -
