The Prince of Wales, who later became King George IV, first visited Brighton in 1783, soon after achieving his majority. The seaside town had become fashionable through the residence of George's uncle, the Duke of Cumberland, whose tastes for cuisine, gaming, the theatre and fast living the young prince shared, and with whom he lodged in Brighton at Grove House. In addition, his physician advised him that the seawater would be beneficial for his gout. This advice proved to be rather costly to the city of Bath whose appeal as a spa destination quickly faded without the royal interest. In 1786, he rented a modest erstwhile farmhouse facing the Steine, a grassy area of Brighton used as a promenade by visitors.
In 1787 the designer of Carlton House, Henry Holland, was employed to enlarge the existing building, which became one wing of the Marine Pavilion, flanking a central rotunda, which contained only three main rooms, a breakfast room, dining room and library, fitted out in Holland's French-influenced neoclassical style, with decorative paintings by Biagio Rebecca. In 1801-02 the Pavilion was enlarged with a new dining room and conservatory, to designs of Peter Frederick Robinson, in Holland's office. The Prince also purchased land surrounding the property, on which a grand riding school and stables were built in an Indian style in 1803-08, to designs by William Porden that dwarfed the Marine Pavilion, in providing stabling for sixty horses.
Between 1815 and 1822 the designer John Nash redesigned and greatly extended the Pavilion, and it is the work of Nash which can be seen today. The palace looks rather striking in the middle of Brighton, having a very Indian appearance on the outside.
A Brighton Street |
I found Brighton as a whole to coincide well with the gaudy and rather "over the top" style of the Royal Pavillion. When I think of out of place beach side minarets and flying carpets and the like, it reminds me of the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. In some ways, Brighton has that cheesy Atlantic City feel, though being English, it is certainly more clean and refined. London-by-the-sea, as it is sometimes referred to, is after all only a one hour train ride from the big city.
If you are looking for "action", Brighton is, and has been for 200 years, the place to be.