Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a real-life smuggler, dipping and diving through caves with precious loot, escaping the law, and making a pretty penny for your troubles?
At Smugglers Adventure, you can do just that with the help of your family and friends as well as some well-seasoned smugglers who call the St Clement’s Caves their home.
Introducing smuggling in Hastings
St Clement’s Caves date back over 15,000 years, acting as shelter for various animals, travellers, and… smugglers!
These long, winding caves have served many purposes over their long history, including a home for displaced people, an air raid shelter during the Second World War, and now a tourist attraction so that modern audiences can appreciate the incredible stories hiding within the walls of these magnificent caves.
The story of smuggling is a dangerous one, filled with adventure, cunning, and dubious morality, but it’s a fascinating story to experience in the flesh in St Clement’s Caves.
The history of smuggling in Hastings
Smugglers, or ‘free traders,’ as they preferred to style themselves, started plying their nefarious trade around the Sussex shoreline in the 13th century, sneaking wool out of the country and making a tidy profit from avoiding the King’s taxes.
Yet it wasn’t until William III’s war with France in 1689, when he raised customs and excise levies to pay for his army, that smuggling turned truly seedy. William placed excess duties on common items such as beer, spirits, tobacco, salt, and coal, and customs duty on luxuries such as textiles, spices, and sugar. These items became increasingly expensive, which is why smugglers decided to take matters into their own hands.
Much filthy lucre was to be made by ruthless gangs who wanted to trade goods without paying these levies. In fact, in the local area, these gangs became known as ‘cut backs’ after one terrible encounter where a Dutch sailor was brutally chopped in two with a sword.
Many of Hasting’s lords, landowners and Sheriffs had their pockets lined by these cunning smugglers, and that made them near untouchable by the law. And for those who refused to take a bribe? Well, a fate similar to the Dutch sailor awaited… indeed, many an informer or government worker met an untimely end around these parts. Some simply vanished into our very own caves, never to be seen again…
And all the while, the smugglers of Hastings grew richer and richer, hiding their loot and illegal goods in graveyards, secret passages, and, yes, their favourite hideaway of all… St. Clement’s Caves.
In fact, it wasn’t until the 19th century that the navy was able to bring the smuggling trade to its knees. Smuggling still does occur throughout modern Britain, with illegal items or high-duty items being popular items to smuggle into the country. You can read more about how smuggling differs today in our blog What are Smugglers? Then vs Now.
The Smugglers Adventure Experience in Hastings
Our Smugglers Adventure Experience is your chance to immerse yourself in this murky world of smuggling – right here in our mysterious natural caves. The infamous smuggler Hairy Jack will be your guide as you delve into the lives of the pirates, smugglers and bootleggers who made their fortune, and our rich history, around Hastings.
You can expect a plethora of fascinating characters to join you on your expedition down St Clement’s Caves, with plenty of interactive displays for you to join in the smuggling!
You can even visit the Chapel within the mines, but beware, it’s not only the most haunted part of the mine but also the coldest due to the extreme depth that it’s located. If you’re afraid of the dark caverns, be sure to pick up a torch from the entrance so that you don’t find yourself alone in the dark!
Our cheeky pirates and sneaky smugglers are ready to shed light on their dark lifestyle down in our caves. They’ll show you where they stashed their cash, laid their loot and hid their hooch, all whilst laughing in the face of the law! They’ll also let you get hands-on, with all sorts of interactive displays, games and activities along the way.
So, if you’re up for a bit of mischief, and plenty of learning, Smugglers Adventure makes a great day out for (and in…) for all the family. Sometimes spooky, always fun, it’s a swashbuckling adventure waiting to be had in Hastings.
Book now for big savings!
Why not take a leaf out of the smugglers’ book and avoid paying full price by getting your tickets online here?