Hastings (borough, England), borough, East Sussex, southeastern England, on the English Channel. The borough is a popular summer resort, with sandy beaches and a seaside boulevard. The site was probably occupied in prehistoric times. By the early Middle Ages the town was a flourishing port, and in the 11th century it was enfranchised as one of the Cinque Ports. The duke of Normandy, later William I, king of England, led his invading army ashore in the vicinity of Hastings on September 28, 1066. The subsequent battle, known as the Battle of Hastings, in which William defeated the English king Harold II, occurred inland from the town. After 1377, when it was raided and burned by the French, Hastings declined in importance as a seaport. Its development as a resort dates from the late 18th century. Population (2001) 85,027.