Discoveries on the East Hill
A Curiosity - or, if not that, it was at least an uncommon occurrence that on Sunday morning, Sept. 21st, a young man residing in the neighbourhood of St. Andrews terrace, took himself a wife, and that almost at the same hour, his mother gave birth to her 22nd child; thus, with the son's marriage, adding two more to the already numerous family.
A Two-feet Gunnell(sic), turning the scale at 9lbs., was caught off Hastings, with hook and bait, by a gentleman, on Tuesday, Oct. 7th.
A Gigantic Skate, weighing 140 lbs., was caught in the trawl net of one of the Hastings fishing boats on the night of November 27th.
Archaeological Discovery
As stated on page 65, it was in 1856 that Mr. Ross obtained permission to make excavations on the East Hill which led to discoveries of great archaeological interest. It had long been known that remains of a very ancient date existed at the southern extremity of that hill just above the "Look-out"; there having been found, from time to time, pieces of stone, bones and other relics. Anxious to ascertain, if possible, the nature of the building, if any, that had in remote ages existed at that spot, Mr. Ross, as the local secretary of the Sussex Archaeological Society asked permission of the Countess of Waldegrave to make the necessary excavations. This being readily assented to, Mr. Ross commenced the work, but though continuing it for some time, his efforts were not attended with the success he had hoped for. The men he employed, however, cut across the graves of four persons of various sizes, and, consequently of different ages; also of varying depths of from one to five feet below the surfac. From the evident care which had been bestowed on the interment of some of the bodies, it was conjectured that those were persons of higher rank. Beneath each (the full length of the body) was a bed of charcoal about two inches in thickness, which it was thought, from certain marks had been prepared on the spot. Under the head was placed an oyster shell or a stone. Two of the skulls were broken up, the jaw-bones having the appearance of being severed in front with some sharp instrument. Another skull was peculiar for its extreme thickness of more than half an inch. On the northern part of the excavations, two stone coffins were uncovered, apparently made of Caen stone that had once formed part of the building, but there was nothing to show the nature of such building. A considerable quantity of Caen stone was lying about - mere remnants, probably of more definately shaped portions that during a long period of time had been carried off. There was-
