From a smuggler’s cottage to a medieval fixer-upper

Art is at the heart of Hastings’s revival, with the Victorian seaside resort and fishing town once again drawing visitors to England’s south coast with its raft of new gallery spaces, indie emporiums and shops.

The creative crowd and metropolitan visitors are boosting its local economy, drawn by its quaint and quirky attractions and fresh sea air. It has black wooden fishing huts, a medieval old town and all the seaside classics – from a miniature railway and fish ‘n’ chip shops to a funicular railway and amusement arcades.

We’ve found five homes for sale in the East Sussex town and its close neighbour St Leonards-on-Sea that epitomise its eclectic, odd charm – including a medieval, timber-framed doer-upper and a former Turkish bathhouse with its own bowling alley.

4 bedrooms; £550,000 via Inigo Located on Hastings Old Town’s high street, this grade II listed two-level flat above a shop has Georgian elegance, a medieval core and modern decor showcasing its historic features. Inky tones cover uneven plaster walls, bare wooden floorboards, and painted brick walls. The mustard kitchen has a boat-like, bowed beamed ceiling contrasting with stainless-steel cabinets. Meanwhile, large sash windows cascade soft light across the four-bedroom property.

4 bedrooms; £550,000 via Inigo Located on Hastings Old Town’s high street, this grade II listed two-level flat above a shop has Georgian elegance, a medieval core and modern decor showcasing its historic features. Inky tones cover uneven plaster walls, bare wooden floorboards, and painted brick walls. The mustard kitchen has a boat-like, bowed beamed ceiling contrasting with stainless-steel cabinets. Meanwhile, large sash windows cascade soft light across the four-bedroom property.

4 bedrooms; £550,000 via Inigo Located on Hastings Old Town’s high street, this grade II listed two-level flat above a shop has Georgian elegance, a medieval core and modern decor showcasing its historic features. Inky tones cover uneven plaster walls, bare wooden floorboards, and painted brick walls. The mustard kitchen has a boat-like, bowed beamed ceiling contrasting with stainless-steel cabinets. Meanwhile, large sash windows cascade soft light across the four-bedroom property.

4 bedrooms; £550,000 via Inigo Located on Hastings Old Town’s high street, this grade II listed two-level flat above a shop has Georgian elegance, a medieval core and modern decor showcasing its historic features. Inky tones cover uneven plaster walls, bare wooden floorboards, and painted brick walls. The mustard kitchen has a boat-like, bowed beamed ceiling contrasting with stainless-steel cabinets. Meanwhile, large sash windows cascade soft light across the four-bedroom property.

4 bedrooms; £550,000 via Inigo Located on Hastings Old Town’s high street, this grade II listed two-level flat above a shop has Georgian elegance, a medieval core and modern decor showcasing its historic features. Inky tones cover uneven plaster walls, bare wooden floorboards, and painted brick walls. The mustard kitchen has a boat-like, bowed beamed ceiling contrasting with stainless-steel cabinets. Meanwhile, large sash windows cascade soft light across the four-bedroom property.

4 bedrooms; £1.5m, Platform Property No one could say this St Leonards-on-Sea property is dull: built as a Turkish bathhouse and later used as a school swimming house, and a glass factory, the four-bedroom conversion has Turkish-inspired décor and a carnival vibe. Inside the Bath House, it has an open-plan living space under a pitched ceiling and wide timber bracing. There are plenty of fun features, too, including a bowling alley, an arcade game machine, a cinema room, and painted and illuminated fairground signage.

4 bedrooms; £1.5m, Platform Property No one could say this St Leonards-on-Sea property is dull: built as a Turkish bathhouse and later used as a school swimming house, and a glass factory, the four-bedroom conversion has Turkish-inspired décor and a carnival vibe. Inside the Bath House, it has an open-plan living space under a pitched ceiling and wide timber bracing. There are plenty of fun features, too, including a bowling alley, an arcade game machine, a cinema room, and painted and illuminated fairground signage.

4 bedrooms; £1.5m, Platform Property No one could say this St Leonards-on-Sea property is dull: built as a Turkish bathhouse and later used as a school swimming house, and a glass factory, the four-bedroom conversion has Turkish-inspired décor and a carnival vibe. Inside the Bath House, it has an open-plan living space under a pitched ceiling and wide timber bracing. There are plenty of fun features, too, including a bowling alley, an arcade game machine, a cinema room, and painted and illuminated fairground signage.

4 bedrooms; £1.5m, Platform Property No one could say this St Leonards-on-Sea property is dull: built as a Turkish bathhouse and later used as a school swimming house, and a glass factory, the four-bedroom conversion has Turkish-inspired décor and a carnival vibe. Inside the Bath House, it has an open-plan living space under a pitched ceiling and wide timber bracing. There are plenty of fun features, too, including a bowling alley, an arcade game machine, a cinema room, and painted and illuminated fairground signage.

4 bedrooms; £1.5m, Platform Property No one could say this St Leonards-on-Sea property is dull: built as a Turkish bathhouse and later used as a school swimming house, and a glass factory, the four-bedroom conversion has Turkish-inspired décor and a carnival vibe. Inside the Bath House, it has an open-plan living space under a pitched ceiling and wide timber bracing. There are plenty of fun features, too, including a bowling alley, an arcade game machine, a cinema room, and painted and illuminated fairground signage.

4 bedrooms; £1.5m, Platform Property No one could say this St Leonards-on-Sea property is dull: built as a Turkish bathhouse and later used as a school swimming house, and a glass factory, the four-bedroom conversion has Turkish-inspired décor and a carnival vibe. Inside the Bath House, it has an open-plan living space under a pitched ceiling and wide timber bracing. There are plenty of fun features, too, including a bowling alley, an arcade game machine, a cinema room, and painted and illuminated fairground signage.

5 bedrooms; £660,000 via Just Property Judging by its front, this 1400s timber-framed house looks small, but it has a deep floor plan, which includes a 45ft living space features lit at either end by large, sash windows. The period terrace has galleon-like beams everywhere, as well as walls with exposed brick, and age-worn wooden floors, and the ultimate cosy cottage feature: an inglenook fireplace with a metal hood chimney. At the centre of the home is an open wooden staircase that winds its way up to vaulted attic bedrooms.

5 bedrooms; £660,000 via Just Property Judging by its front, this 1400s timber-framed house looks small, but it has a deep floor plan, which includes a 45ft living space features lit at either end by large, sash windows. The period terrace has galleon-like beams everywhere, as well as walls with exposed brick, and age-worn wooden floors, and the ultimate cosy cottage feature: an inglenook fireplace with a metal hood chimney. At the centre of the home is an open wooden staircase that winds its way up to vaulted attic bedrooms.

5 bedrooms; £660,000 via Just Property Judging by its front, this 1400s timber-framed house looks small, but it has a deep floor plan, which includes a 45ft living space features lit at either end by large, sash windows. The period terrace has galleon-like beams everywhere, as well as walls with exposed brick, and age-worn wooden floors, and the ultimate cosy cottage feature: an inglenook fireplace with a metal hood chimney. At the centre of the home is an open wooden staircase that winds its way up to vaulted attic bedrooms.

5 bedrooms; £660,000 via Just Property Judging by its front, this 1400s timber-framed house looks small, but it has a deep floor plan, which includes a 45ft living space features lit at either end by large, sash windows. The period terrace has galleon-like beams everywhere, as well as walls with exposed brick, and age-worn wooden floors, and the ultimate cosy cottage feature: an inglenook fireplace with a metal hood chimney. At the centre of the home is an open wooden staircase that winds its way up to vaulted attic bedrooms.

£625,000 via Just Property Dark beams stripe the ceilings and walls of this unmodernised medieval-era house, which has projecting attic windows and a jettied top floor. The four-bedroom timber structure is in need of a revamp to bring life to its timbered rooms. The diamond-in-the-rough townhouse is set over three levels and has leaded windows, decorative ironwork and wood carvings. Its multi-levelled garden is completely paved but has far-reaching views and established palms.

£625,000 via Just Property Dark beams stripe the ceilings and walls of this unmodernised medieval-era house, which has projecting attic windows and a jettied top floor. The four-bedroom timber structure is in need of a revamp to bring life to its timbered rooms. The diamond-in-the-rough townhouse is set over three levels and has leaded windows, decorative ironwork and wood carvings. Its multi-levelled garden is completely paved but has far-reaching views and established palms.

£625,000 via Just Property Dark beams stripe the ceilings and walls of this unmodernised medieval-era house, which has projecting attic windows and a jettied top floor. The four-bedroom timber structure is in need of a revamp to bring life to its timbered rooms. The diamond-in-the-rough townhouse is set over three levels and has leaded windows, decorative ironwork and wood carvings. Its multi-levelled garden is completely paved but has far-reaching views and established palms.

£625,000 via Just Property Dark beams stripe the ceilings and walls of this unmodernised medieval-era house, which has projecting attic windows and a jettied top floor. The four-bedroom timber structure is in need of a revamp to bring life to its timbered rooms. The diamond-in-the-rough townhouse is set over three levels and has leaded windows, decorative ironwork and wood carvings. Its multi-levelled garden is completely paved but has far-reaching views and established palms.

£625,000 via Just Property Dark beams stripe the ceilings and walls of this unmodernised medieval-era house, which has projecting attic windows and a jettied top floor. The four-bedroom timber structure is in need of a revamp to bring life to its timbered rooms. The diamond-in-the-rough townhouse is set over three levels and has leaded windows, decorative ironwork and wood carvings. Its multi-levelled garden is completely paved but has far-reaching views and established palms.

£625,000 via Just Property Dark beams stripe the ceilings and walls of this unmodernised medieval-era house, which has projecting attic windows and a jettied top floor. The four-bedroom timber structure is in need of a revamp to bring life to its timbered rooms. The diamond-in-the-rough townhouse is set over three levels and has leaded windows, decorative ironwork and wood carvings. Its multi-levelled garden is completely paved but has far-reaching views and established palms.

£695,000 via Easy Let & Sale This unmodernised 17th-century cottage has a grade II-listed timber structure, vaulted attic bedrooms and a wide inglenook fireplace. The caveat? It needs to be lovingly restored from top to toe. It is completely empty inside, forming a blank canvas for its next chapter. And if its walls could talk, they’d speak of the town’s tumultuous history via the ‘smugglers’ window’, which looks down the high street (in the 17th century the coastline was more inland) and was used to signal to thieves when it was safe to bring the contraband ashore.

£695,000 via Easy Let & Sale This unmodernised 17th-century cottage has a grade II-listed timber structure, vaulted attic bedrooms and a wide inglenook fireplace. The caveat? It needs to be lovingly restored from top to toe. It is completely empty inside, forming a blank canvas for its next chapter. And if its walls could talk, they’d speak of the town’s tumultuous history via the ‘smugglers’ window’, which looks down the high street (in the 17th century the coastline was more inland) and was used to signal to thieves when it was safe to bring the contraband ashore.

£695,000 via Easy Let & Sale This unmodernised 17th-century cottage has a grade II-listed timber structure, vaulted attic bedrooms and a wide inglenook fireplace. The caveat? It needs to be lovingly restored from top to toe. It is completely empty inside, forming a blank canvas for its next chapter. And if its walls could talk, they’d speak of the town’s tumultuous history via the ‘smugglers’ window’, which looks down the high street (in the 17th century the coastline was more inland) and was used to signal to thieves when it was safe to bring the contraband ashore.