Pelham Arcade

Pelham Arcade is a semi-subterranean shopping complex in Hastings featuring roughly 30 retail shops within stone-columned passages and arched walkways. The structure sits beneath Pelham Place and creates a continuous covered corridor underground.

Joseph Kay designed this structure between 1823 and 1825 as part of a broader development scheme in Hastings. The building received Grade II* listed status, marking it as an important example of early 19th-century architectural work in the town.

The arcade served as a social hub in the 1800s, hosting evening performances and entertainment that drew the local community together. This role as a gathering place remains part of how visitors experience it today.

Access is through several entrances from Pelham Place, so walking around the building helps you find all entry points. The underground corridors are relatively level and easy to walk through, though the arched ceilings are low in places.

A captured Russian cannon from the Crimean War once stood near the arcade in 1857 before being moved to Hastings Museum decades later. This overlooked relic connects the site to a surprising chapter of British military history.

Location: Hastings

GPS coordinates: 50.85556,0.58472

Latest update: December 13, 2025 12:21