The Nags Head Gensing Road
By John Hodges
The first reference to the parish of St.Leonard occurs in 1372, it is contained within a return of the parish churches in the liberty of Hastings made by the Bailiff. Although this ancient church appears to have disappeared sometime in the fifteenth century, it can be placed in the present day Norman Road. During the construction of the recently redundant Methodist church the existence of such a building was confirmed when the old graveyard was disturbed. When James Burton first decided to build his new town on part of the old Manor of Gensing, it straddled two parishes. That of St.Leonard was one, whilst the other was St Mary Magdalene named not after an ancient church, but more likely after the old hospital of that name, long since disappeared but the revenues of which continue Continue reading The Nags Head
