dundoniandean: When we came out of the clouds, we didn't have too far to go to landing, it seemed. When we got lower and lower, it seemed to us both that we were going way too fast for landing and we looked at each other thinking 'what the **** is going on?'. I'm not even slightly a nervous flyer normally, but this had me a bit worried. Anyway, we landed very hard at STN, by far the hardest landing I've ever experienced and then the brakes were applied and we eventually came to a stop.
Just one idea about this - as you'd returned to STN quite soon after takeoff, the aircraft would probably still have been quite heavy with the fuel that would otherwise have been burnt on the sector. Heavier aircraft = higher landing speeds, all other things being equal, and then you'd have to use the brakes harder as well. Nothing out of the ordinary here.
Also, the exact failure might have had an effect as well - for example, if you'd had to use less than normal landing flap, that also makes for a higher landing speed, even though all these things are documented, practised, and standard abnormal procedures.
Some trips are just not meant to be! At least it sounds like you book with FR with your eyes wide open.