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Previously a fishing village, Brighton came into fashion as a health centre for seabathing during the 1700s. Seasonal visitors flocked here, especially after Prince George, later the Prince Regent, began to spend his leisure time here. From 1765 the town grew rapidly with many elegant Georgian style terraces going up. Its popularity into the early nineteenth century meant that a huge building programme was undertaken, This has given the town a rather grand and harmonious appearance.
The small streets with their tiny cottages, the maze of medieval alleys, even the brick-built House of Correction, give the impression of a small town, which fits Brighton's original status.
However, with the growing popularity of sea bathing and the establishment of Assembly rooms and a theatre, visitors flocked here in ever increasing numbers.
A new town grew all the way from Marine Parade
to Brunswick Town. There are many fine examples of elegant villas and sweeping terraces of tall, colonnaded buildings so beloved by Regency architects.
Set at the end of the main road from London to Brighton and calculated to catch the visitor’s eye as he arrived, was the Prince Regent’s Pavilion. It is so incredible that normal criticism or comments cannot apply. The Prince loved his summer palace and was a generous and kind host to his guests.
I would have loved to dine with him in that awe-inspiring dining room, under the massive chandelier with its mirror palm leaves glittering and twinkling above the candles. No doubt the other ornaments and decorations reflected the lights in fascinating ways also. And then I would have loved the Prince to take me on one of his tours of the kitchens, where fantasy gave way to practicality and he could demonstrate his pride in all the up-to-date gadgets he had installed there.
Just a dream…. but in my story, some of my characters can live the dream for me.
