1066 Country Latest News
Expect a very friendly welcome at Strand House
Strand House in winter
A Winchelsea guest house has one of the top twenty friendliest landladies in the country - it's official!
Mary Sullivan from Strand House is a finalist in the AA Friendliest Landlady of the Year competition. Mary beat off competition from more than 4,000 other landladies to reach this stage in the competition.
Mary will find out if she's won the competition at the final in London on 4 June. Until then, she's just pleased to make the top twenty, especially as she's only been welcoming guests for just over a year.
Well done Mary!
Lottery millions earmarked for Great Dixter
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has earmarked £4 million towards a £7 million project at Great Dixter house and gardens.
The Great Dixter Charitable Trust, which runs the house, will be fundraising to secure the remaining £3 million. The early plans for the project will help to secure Great Dixter's future and protect Christopher Lloyd's legacy by improving education facilities and public access to the Dixter archive. The fascinating archive includes hundreds of original drawings, journals and photographs dating from as far back as 1912.
The Great Dixter Charitable Trust has been successful in its ‘Stage One’ bid, which means money has been earmarked, but the HLF now requires more detailed plans at ‘Stage Two’. These will determine the finer details of the scheme and hopefully guarantee the funding. Stage Two plans will be submitted in autumn 2008 and the final decision from the HLF is expected in early 2009.
The stunning timber-framed house at Great Dixter
Gary Lineker at Bodiam!
Bodiam Castle will be the star of a major television advertising campaign this Spring as part of a joint promotion between Walkers Crisps and the National Trust.
Former England striker and 'Match of the Day' presenter Gary Lineker will be seen driving a double decker bus past the castle in a parody of the Cliff Richard film 'Summer Holiday'. The commercial sees Gary causing mayhem in the Sussex countryside and staff at the 1066 Country Film Office were even asked to help set up a fake bridge so that Gary could drive the bus under it, causing the upper floor to be torn off!
In the same month, "Nigella's Christmas Kitchen" producers Flashback TV brought their major new documentary series '50 Things You Need to Know About British History' to Hastings and Battle Abbey to film extensively for an hour-long History Channel special on the Battle of Hastings. The special, which is presented by English Heritage expert Doctor Anna Keay, will be shown in Autumn 2008.
Jerwood Foundation working with Hastings on new art gallery
CAP - A work by Maggi Hambling, one of the artists who could be featured in the Hastings-based Jerwood Art Gallery
One of the UK's foremost trusts supporting the arts, the Jerwood Foundation, is to work with Hastings Borough Council to explore the opportunity and potential for a new art gallery in Hastings which would house the main body of the Jerwood Art Collection and receive temporary exhibitions. Jerwood and Hastings Borough Council are exploring the feasibility of the options and working closely with local partners to develop this exciting and important project.
The gallery would allow the Jerwood Art Collection of 20th and 21st century British art to be displayed in public for the first time. The collection includes works by artists such as Christopher Wood and Laurence Stephen Lowry together with those by contemporary practitioners like Maggi Hambling. The gallery would also include space for temporary exhibitions including exhibitions from the Jerwood Visual Arts programme and work developed with local partners.
Alan Grieve, Chairman of the Jerwood Foundation has stated: "We are very pleased to be working with Hastings on this major project for the Foundation. We are very appreciative for the support shown by Hastings Borough Council, the Foreshore Trust and other local partners and we look forward to exploring the potential to site our new gallery in Hastings. We are still at an early stage of development but hope that the gallery, if realised, would become a valued resource for the local community and contribute strongly to the regeneration of Hastings."
The Leader of Hastings Borough Council, Peter Pragnell, said : "We are very pleased that the Jerwood Foundation are considering locating the Jerwood Art Collection here. It is a very exciting prospect for the town. We will work closely with the Jerwood Foundation, other organisations such as the Arts Council, the South East England Development Agency, the Hastings Foreshore Trust, and East Sussex County Council, and of course the local community, to do all we can to realise this vision."
You can find out more about the arts in Hastings and 1066 Country on our special culture pages.
Belgians will wish they were here
A primetime Belgian holiday show is coming to film in Hastings and 1066 Country this December.
The hit show 'Vlaanderen Vakantieland' will feature the area as the perfect spot for a pre-Christmas break, just in time for December 2008. The crew will be touring around Hastings, Rye and Battle and nearby countryside to get a taste of 1066 Country. Belgian viewers will see presenter Vincent Verelst explore our best attractions and look at some of our unique accommodation.
This is the end of a busy year for travel trade staff who work hard to promote the area abroad. There have been a number of successful press visits to the area, including journalists from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and even Australia and New Zealand, who travelled a long way to take tales of 1066 Country back to their home countries. All the visits focused on the fabulous tourist attractions, good quality accommodation and wonderful coast and countryside.
A spokeswoman for the Council said:
"The aim of the press visits is to encourage visitors to the area and most have resulted in articles in newspapers and glossy magazines as well as coverage on TV, radio and websites. This kind of positive coverage cannot be underestimated as it spreads the word about what a fantastic holiday destination Hastings and 1066 Country is."
For more information, please visit our travel trade information page.
Michael Caine in Hastings
Hastings has rounded off its busiest ever year for filming with a visit from Sir Michael Caine.
The star of films such as Alfie, The Italian Job and Batman Begins was filming along the seafront and on the West Hill for a comedy film called 'Is There Anybody There'. It tells the story of a man coming to terms with living in a retirement home and the friendship that develops between him and the young son of the family who run the home.
Jonah Coombes, location manager for Lark Hall Films Ltd, said:
"The setting and magnificent sea views, together with the positive attitude of Hastings Borough Council's film office, were the clinching factors for our decision to film in the area. We are absolutely delighted to be spending some time here in Hastings."
Hastings has become a hugely popular venue for filming, already the council has organised locations for the team behind Spooks and Hustle, Foyle's War, Blue Peter, Art Attack, the Heaven and Earth Show, The Hotel Inspector, several property programmes including Location, Location, Location and feature films such as My Boy Jack (featuring Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe).
Only last month the country park doubled up as the Himalayas for a BBC Radio Four play.
A spokesman for Hastings Borough Council said:
"Hastings has become an incredibly popular place for filming. Our stunning scenery and unique character is the perfect backdrop for so many productions. We work very hard to make sure production companies have the access and help they need, with the minimum disruption to residents. This has been our busiest year for filming and we're already looking forward to the same next year."
Hastings Plays the Himalayas!
Hastings Country Park played an unusual role in a major BBC Radio Four drama last month when it doubled up for the world's biggest mountain range.
One of the first radio dramas to be recorded 'on location', Annapurna (the name given to a series of the most treacherous peaks in the range) follows a young English couple who are being stalked across the Himalayas by a mysterious Nepali. Hastings Borough Council's Country Park Rangers worked closely with the production team to section off a large area of the park so the empty ambience of the world's highest point wouldn't be spoiled by a stray dog walker!
Faith Collingwood, Location Manager, said:
"Most radio dramas are recorded in the studio to give the production complete control of all the elements but we wanted the actors to perform in an open space to get a natural, authentic sound. Hastings Country Park was perfect and the local council were incredibly helpful - even if they couldn't quite keep all of the seagulls quiet!"
The Afternoon Play has already been broadcast but can still be heard on the Radio Four website. For more information about filming in Hastings and 1066 Country please go to our 1066 Country Film Office pages.
Disney in Hastings
A magically enhanced Hastings will be the star of a major print and billboard advertising campaign this Christmas after Ford and Disney came to the town for three days in late September.
The advert, which will appear on billboards throughout the UK and in all of the major national newspapers, will use Hastings' Robertson Street to launch a joint promotion for EuroDisney.
Seen through the windscreen of a Ford Galaxy, the whole street scene will be populated with wry Disney references including 101 Dalmatians, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Finding Nemo and, most spectacularly, Hastings Castle which will be transformed into the Disney Castle! Producer Ben Hills brought his crew to Hastings because "The council are very film friendly and we love the town!".
The image for the advert will be in post-production for the next two months and we'll publish the final version on this page at Christmas. For more information about photography or filming in Hastings and 1066 Country, please go to our 1066 Country Film Office pages.
You Don't Have To Be Mad (Jack) To Visit...
Exciting things are being planned in the village of Brightling, East Sussex for the 250th Anniversary Celebration of ‘Mad Jack’ Fuller. Most famous now for the follies he built in and around Brightling, these structures stand monument to his burning desire to be remembered long after his death.
But this is not the most important legacy John ‘Mad Jack’ Fuller created. He was a philanthropist, a patron of the arts and sciences and a founding member of the Royal Institution. Jack Fuller is immortalized in the lasting gifts he bestowed upon the community, including the Eastbourne Lifeboat, the barrel organ and bells at St Thomas a Becket Church and Bodiam Castle which he bought to save from demolition.
22nd September 2007 will see local historian Geoff Hutchinson bringing the character back to life and telling his story, once again, in the Church, at 1400. There will be a Follies Walk at 1530, and at 1630, Mad Jack's Morris, from Hastings, will perform in front of Brightling Park.
1066 Country Marketing is encouraging people to pay a visit. Rother's Tourism Officer Emma Oldham said: "1066 Country is great to visit any time of the year. It is particularly beautiful as the autumn colours start to appear in the trees and the fields, so we are urging people to forget the poor summer, and enjoy a late break here in 1066 Country, in the depths of the Sussex countryside. We are famous for our local characters, and there is none as eccentric as ‘Mad Jack Fuller’ So do take this opportunity to spend some quality time here, and learn about the famous Squire, and the rest of 1066 Country. Visit our Visit1066Country.com Fuller's Follies pages for more information."
Jack Fuller's Follies are also featured in the Country Breaks itineraries currently promoted by 1066 Country Marketing. This is part financed by the European Community WARR Partnership Leader+ 2000-2006 Programme, and supported by The European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund of the EU.
Harry Potter in 1066 Country!
Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter
One of our leading countryside attractions Batemans has just played host to the most famous teenager in the world. Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe spent several days at Rudyard Kipling's former home to film scenes for his upcoming ITV1 drama ‘My Boy Jack’.
Written by Four Weddings and a Funeral star David Haig, ‘My Boy Jack’ is an epic and moving story of a truly extraordinary family from Ecosse Films. Set during World War One, the film is the true story of how Kipling (played by Haig) used his influence to get his 17-year-old son Jack (played by Radcliffe) a commission with the Irish Guards despite the boy's poor eyesight. Jack then went missing in action during the Battle of Loos and his mother and father carried out an ardent search for him, spanning many years and many miles of soul-destroying discovery.
The film looks set to be one of ITV1's Winter Highlights and is currently scheduled to go out just before Christmas.
For more information on Rudyard Kipling, go to our special biography page or, to find out more about filming at Batemans and other attractions, go to our 1066 Country Film Office pages.
What treasures will you find at Camber Sands this Bank Holiday?
The Dunes at Camber Sands (photo by Barry Yates)
Camber Beach in East Sussex has been named one of the UK's Top Ten Beaches for Beachcombing by the UK's leading provider of holiday cottages, cottages4you, in association with www.qualitycoast.org. They are running a competition, and the winner and 20 runners up will be chosen by Cottages4you, in conjunction with Cathy Yow.
Launched by BBC presenter of Coast and zoologist Miranda Krestovnikoff, and with the support of world champion beachcomber Cathy Yow, the campaign hopes to encourage kids and adults alike to try beachcombing.
With the summer weather being so unpredictable this year, beachcombing is the perfect activity for families everywhere whatever the weather! Beachcombing consists of wandering along the beach and searching the high water mark for items washed up by the sea. It makes trips to the seaside even more fun and can make coastal walks more interesting. Findings can be anything from semi-precious stones, shells and drift wood to more unusual items such as shark egg cases and voodoo dolls!
On hearing of Camber's position in the Top Ten, Emma Oldham, Tourism Officer 1066 Country said:
"Camber Sands is one of the undiscovered secrets of the South Coast, a winning quality coastal award beach in 1066 Country. The glorious sandy beach and rolling dunes provide the perfect setting for a family day out, romantic get away or, for the more adventurous, some extreme sports including kite buggying and kite surfing. Camber is the perfect destination for a visit any time of the year."
Please visit www.chooseacottage.co.uk to find out more about the competition and how to enter.
1066 Country on ITV3
Hastings and 1066 Country Marketing is taking its tourism promotion efforts to new heights with a national television advertising campaign on ITV3 throughout May.
Scheduled amongst shows like 'Ironside', 'Lovejoy' and 'Poirot', the commercial showcases the area's rich blend of coast and countryside with stunning high definition images of Camber Sands, Pashley Manor Gardens, Bodiam Castle, the Kent and East Sussex Railway and Hastings' Stade Fishing Beach.
As part of its commitment to encouraging local talent, the 1066 Country marketing team commissioned Hastings film director Jan Jung of Screenplay Productions who handpicked his crew from the town and its surrounding area and gave several University Centre Hastings students valuable work experience.
With its 'the South Coast's best kept secret' tagline, the commercial emphasises the tranquil, relaxing qualities of 1066 Country and even features a voiceover from Hastings-based 'Little Britain' star Steve Furst!
Jan Jung said:
"We only have a limited number of spots on ITV3 so we had to come up with something that would have the highest possible impact. By deliberately making the commercial quiet and evocative it will stand out amongst its noisier, busier counterparts and draw viewers' attention."
Campaign Marketing Manager Kevin Boorman added:
"We've made this commercial on an incredibly tight budget but we're delighted with the results which are of the highest quality. The ITV3 audience fall into one of our main target markets and this is yet another example of how we've been able to think creatively on a shoestring and still come up with the goods."
In addition to its ITV3 screenings, the commercial can be seen at 1066 Country On Itv3.
Foyle's Farewell
Foyle's War star Michael Kitchen and creator Anthony Horowitz
The Foyle's War production team has been back in town again, for its last ever visit.
The hugely popular award-winning ITV drama, set during the Second World War Two in Hastings, has followed the fortunes of DCS Foyle - played by Michael Kitchen - throughout the war years. For the last seven years the streets of the Old Town have been taken back 60 years by the set designers, ready for filming.
The last episodes to be shot include VE day celebrations, and the bunting was flying last week in Croft Road, DCS Foyle's home, for some of the last scenes. Watching the filming was Anthony Horowitz, the creator of Foyle's War.
Kevin Boorman, Hastings Borough Council's Marketing Manager, is sad filming is coming to an end. He said:
"Foyle's War has been very good for Hastings. As well as hosting the production team on its annual visit, the show has generated a lot of interest in the town. It is very common to see visitors walking around the Old Town with their Foyle's Hastings books, working out where the different scenes were shot."
"And, of course, showing that we can deal with big dramas like this encourages other productions, we are getting quite used to seeing film and television cameras in Hastings, it really is good business now."
"During a break in shooting last week, Anthony Horowitz told me how pleased he was that Hastings had been used for filming. He said it was just perfect."
"Colleagues at the Council, and Old Town residents, have worked hard to ensure that the filming has been a success, and I know the production team has been very pleased with the help it's received. Although it has been a lot of work, and inconvenient occasionally for local residents, it has been good fun too, and we'll certainly miss them."