Eastbourne is a large town and borough of East Sussex, on the south coast of England, with an estimated population of 93,630 as of August 2005. The area has seen human activity since the stone age and remained as an area of small settlements right up until the 19th century. The town then started to expand, assisted by the arrival of the railway, to make Eastbourne a prime Edwardian seaside resort. It has since suffered from the general trend away from taking holidays within the United Kingdom. Eastbourne is the second largest settlement in East Sussex after Brighton & Hove and before Hastings. Geographically, Eastbourne is situated at the eastern end of the South Downs, and boasts the famous Beachy Head cliff, as well as extensive beaches. The main town lies sheltered to the East of the cliffs helping to contribute to its high sunshine record. Although Eastbourne has some industrial trading estates, the main income for the town is tourism. As a seaside resort it boasts four theatres, numerous parks, bandstand and museums. The main focus of the tourism trade is the four miles (6 km) of shingle beach, lined with a seafront of hotels and guest houses. More on Eastbourne