This map of Brighton was published in 1809. It was made by J Marchant, a ‘private writing master’ based in North Street.
What can we see?
Pavilion Stables
The stable complex at the Pavilion Estate had only just been completed when this map was produced.
Featuring a riding school and an impressive dome, the stables were much grander than the Pavilion at this point. Work on remodelling the Pavilion into the form we see today would not begin for another six years.
Many Steynes
Brighton was growing rapidly at this point, and new developments sometimes borrowed the name of the Old Steine (as we now spell it). As the Old Steine was a popular area for fashionable residents, this was probably a canny ploy by local developers to borrow its brand.
The area we now call Valley Gardens was named the North Steyne at this point. Look further east along Marine Parade and you can see the location of the New Steyne.
Chalybeate
In the north-west, just over the border into Hove, we can see the Chalybeate. This was a natural spring with iron-rich water that many local doctors would recommend to their patients.
St Ann’s Well Gardens were later laid out in this area.
The Lanes
The narrow streets of the Lanes were so densely packed with businesses and places of worship that it required a numerical key.
This information was particularly useful for fashionable visitors to Brighton. Copies of this map were supplied with Richard Sicklemore’s Epitome of Brighton, an early guidebook about the town.
Author: Kevin Bacon, Digital Manager.
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