there have been people living in the eastbourne area since 4000bc, but the town did not develop until around 1150ad. st. mary's church (now in eastbourne's old town) was first built between 1160 and 1190. eastbourne was strategically important during the napoleonic wars and had a martello tower built from 1804 to 1810. the tower is one of few martello towers that are still standing, and is now called the wish tower.