Eastbourne;

Eastbourne; a favourite Sussex watering-place, especially for the wealthier classes, in the Rape of Pevensey, nearly midway between Brighton and Hastings, and 66 miles S. of London by the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway. Roman remains bear witness to its antiquity, but nothing is known of its ancient history. In the Domesday Book it is called Borne (after the burn or stream which still flows there), and is stated to have been held by the Confessor at forty-six hides. The Conqueror bestowed it upon the Earl of Morton, and it subsequently passed through the Barons of Badlesmere and De Roos to the Manners family, and thence to Selwyns, Gildridges, and Burtons, from whom the present owners, the Duke of Devonshire and C. Davies Gilbert, inherited the manorial rights. The fine 12th-century church clearly belonged to a much more important place than the four groups of houses and cottages which constituted the fishing-hamlets of East-Borne, South-Borne, Meads, and Sea-Houses, not a century ago. The last generation has witnessed the growth of the modern watering-place, which now challenges comparison, in respect of its attractions to visitors and advantages to residents, with any of its south-coast rivals. Its air is singularly healthy, and on the hillside bracing. The death-rate for four years averaged 14.4 in the 1000, including many cases brought from outside to Eastbourne hospitals. The close vicinity of the bold promontory of Beachy Head and the 'front-hills' of the South Downs affords unusual facilities for exercise, and the country is regularly hunted by the Eastbourne Harriers and Southdown Foxhounds. The sea-front, defended by a redoubt of eleven guns and other fortifications, boasts a parade two miles long, laid out in spacious terraces in three tiers, bordered by creeping plants. The streets are broad and lined with trees, and the electric light is rapidly extending its branches through the town; there are a theatre, cricket, football, lawn-tennis, and social clubs, and admirable golf links. Much of the improvements is due to the seventh Duke of Devonshire, but the town took an enterprising share, for which loans were incurred since 1864 to the amount of £173,000. The handsome town-hall was opened in 1886, the Free Library in 1896. The acreage of Eastbourne borough is 5400; the population in 1821 was but 2007; in 1861, 5795; and in 1891, 34,977, having multiplied fivefold in a quarter of a century. The number of houses in 1861 was 1096, and in 1888 the enrolled burgesses (all householders) numbered 3512. The rateable value in 1810 was £5000, and in 1888, £206,000. Eastbourne is a parliamentary division, and was incorporated a borough in 1883. The borough returns five members to the East Sussex County Council on an electorate of 3900, besides one member for the rural division, which numbers 915 electors. See Chambers, Handbook for Eastbourne (1868; 19th ed. 1888).