Brighton is a coastal city located in the county of East Sussex in southern England. Although there are no monuments from the Roman period, there are two monuments nearby from the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods.
It is thought that the mouth of the river Adur at Portslade-by-sea, now a suburb of Brighton, may have been the Roman ‘Portus Novus’ marked on a Roman map called Ptolemy's Geographia (2nd century CE).

History

Brighton was founded by the Anglo-Saxons as ‘Beorhthelm’s farm’ and later developed into a fishing village known as ‘Bristelmestune’ which expanded into a town during the Medieval Period.
During the 18th century, the town developed into a coastal city and a popular resort.
In 1997 it became the City of Brighton and Hove.

Neolithic History

Whitehawk Camp
- This is a Neolithic Causewayed Enclosure located on Whitehawk Hill next to Brighton Racecourse, and is dated to between 3,700-2,700 BCE.
Cissbury Ring
- Located 10 miles (16km) to the west of Brighton, this is a Neolithic Flint Mine and the second largest Iron Age Hillfort in Europe.

Roman History

Roman villas
- Although Brighton itself did not exist as a settlement during the Roman Period, the remains of several Roman villas have been found locally, although the sites are not open to the public.
Portus Novus
- The mouth of the river Adur at Portslade-by-sea, now a suburb of Brighton, is thought to have been the Roman Portus Novus marked on Ptolemy's Geographia (2nd century CE). Some Roman remains have been found in the area.

Neoclassical monuments

The Pepper Pot
- Built in the Neoclassical style, the Pepper Pot is a copy of the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates (335 BCE) situated near the Acropolis in Athens.
- The Pepper Pot is a white tower constructed in 1830 at the same time as a villa (now dismantled) and located in Tower Road in Queen’s Park, Brighton.
- It is a ten sided cylinder surrounded by eleven Corinthian columns built on an octagonal plinth, and which reaches a height of 60 feet (18m).

Getting There

High frequency rail services connect Brighton Railway Station with Gatwick Airport, London Victoria, London Bridge and the coastal towns between Portsmouth and Rye.
A direct service also operates from Brighton to Bedford and Cambridge, via London Bridge, London Blackfriars and London St. Pancras International.

Brighton Railway Station

The station opened in 1840 with services to London Bridge in 1841. In 1846, the railway companies merged to become the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR).
All eight platforms are covered by a giant Victorian curved double canopy made of glass and cast iron which was completed in 1883.
The curved London Road Viaduct connects Brighton Station with the east coastway line to Hastings. The Viaduct consists of 26 Arches with a height of 67 feet (20m) and was built using 10 million bricks.

Museums

Brighton Museum and Art Gallery
- Located at Royal Pavilion Gardens, Pavilion Parade, Brighton BN1 1EE.
- The Museum holds multiple collections consisting of: Costume and Textiles, Film and Media, Fine Art, Local and Social History, the Decorative Arts, the Natural Sciences, Toys and World Art.
Brighton Toy and Model Museum
- Located at 55 Trafalgar Street, the Museum is built under four of the arches of supporting the forecourt of Brighton Railway Station.
- The museum holds various model railway dioramas, including a 1930-s O Gauge and a OO Gauge layout.
- The Collection features 10,000 items including model aircraft, boats, cars, puppets and soft toys that date from pre-1900 to 1960.
Brighton Fishing Museum
- Located west of Brighton Pier it occupies two of the arches on the King’s Road which runs along the beachfront. The Arches were built for the Fishing Community in the 1860’s.
- The Museum holds Artefacts and ships which reflect the activities of Brighton’s Fishing Community between 1800-2,000 CE.
- The Brighton Lifeboat Station is now based in Brighton Marina.

Visitor Attractions

Brighton Beach

Brighton Beach is a very wide four mile (6 km) stretch of pebbled beach which runs from either side of Brighton Pier.

Brighton Dome

The Brighton Dome is an Arts Venue located next to the Brighton Pavilion which was opened in 1867. It features Live Music, Comedy, Dance and Theatre.
It holds three venues, the Concert Hall, the Corn Exchange and the Studio Theatre, and has a seating capacity for 1,700 spectators.
The Dome features a Pipe Organ.

Brighton i360

The British Airways i360 observation tower is located on Brighton Beach and consists of a viewing platform that rises up from the ground along a column to reach a height of 530 feet (162m), giving spectacular views over Brighton.

Brighton Marina

Brighton Marina is an artificial marina constructed out into the sea which was built between 1971-1979.
The Marina has residential housing, berths for 1600 vessels, the Brighton Lifeboat Station, a Casino, a Bowling Alley, numerous Cafes, Bars, Restaurants and a Hotel.

Brighton Palace Pier

Also known as Brighton Pier, it opened on 20th May 1899 and had a theatre which was dismantled in 1986. It has a length of 1,722 feet (525m).
The Pier features fairground rides, a roller coaster and an arcade with slot machines. It receives almost 4 million visitors a year.

Brighton Pavilion

Also known as the Royal Pavilion, the building began as a Royal Seaside Palace for King George IV in 1787 CE, whilst he was still Prince of Wales.
It was built in the Indo-Saracenic style, a design typical of government buildings built by the British in India during the 19th century CE. John Nash added the domes and minarets in 1815.
However, Queen Victoria did not approve, and sold the Pavilion to the city of Brighton in 1850, preferring to enjoy the seaside at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.

Brighton Racecourse

Brighton Racecourse is located on top of Whitehawk Hill on the South Downs, 1 miles (1,5km) from Brighton city centre.
The track hosts flat races and is a left hand course in the shape of a horseshoe with a length of 1.5 miles (2km).

Brighton Wind Farm

Brighton Wind Farm is owned by Rampion Offshore Wind Limited and consists of 116 wind turbines located 8-12 miles (13-20km) from the coast, covering an area between East Worthing and Brighton. The cost was £1.3B.
The Rampion Visitor Centre is located on the King’s Road near the i360. As well as exhibitions, the visitor centre holds a 360° Virtual Reality Experience where users can do a ‘virtual tour’ as if they were out in the wind farm.
Sightseeing trips of the Wind Farm are available from Brighton Marina.

Jubilee Clock Tower

The Clock Tower was built in 1888 at the junction of West street and North Street to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887. Many Jubilee Clock Towers were built at the same time around the country.
The Tower has four clock faces and a mast at the top of the tower. A time ball built by Volk was operated electrically and rose up the mast every hour. A weather vane sits on top of the mast.

Madeira Drive

Madeira Drive is the Finishing Line for the annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run for veteran cars, cycles and motorbikes.

Madeira Terrace and Walkway

In 1897 the Victorians completed a 2,837 foot (865m) series of 151 cast iron arches with a walkway underneath designed for ‘Promenading’. It was built under the south cliff on Madeira Drive.
Towards the eastern end is the Madeira Lift designed in the style of a Pagoda, which raised people from Madeira Drive to the Marine Parade above.

Sea Life

Opened in 1872 as the Brighton Aquarium, it is the oldest operating Aquarium in the world and is located opposite Brighton Pier.
The Aquarium features 100 species and 5,500 forms of marine animals and fish which includes Sharks, a Giant Turtle, a Manta Ray, Star Fish, Seahorses, Terrapins, an Anaconda and a £2.7 million artificial Coral Reef that displays the changes between day and night.

The Lanes

The Lanes is an atmospheric collection of narrow streets and passageways located to the north of the seafront which is full of small shops, cafes and restaurants.
It is built over the original Saxon settlement of Brighthelmstone. Although the medieval buildings have mostly been replaced, the newer buildings have followed the contours of the old alleyways.

Theatre Royal Brighton

Opened in June 1887, the Theatre Royal Brighton has a seating capacity for 966 theatre goers.
The Theatre hosts West End Shows, Plays, Musicals, Opera, Ballet and Concerts.
Backstage Tours are also available for the Public to go behind the scenes.

Volk’s Electric Railway

Volk’s Electric Railway is located beside Brighton Pier and runs along the seafront beside Madeira Drive. Although not the first, it is the oldest operating electric railway in the world and was opened in 1883.
It is a narrow gauge railway, 1 mile (1.5km) long, and uses a third rail to provide 110v electric power.
In the summer months it operates between Brighton Pier and Brighton Marina.

Photo and map: Brighton Pavilion