We've passed by this wall pretty much every day on our way to the Tower Hill tube station. It's part of the Roman Wall (or London Wall) built by the Romans in the 2nd or 3rd century.
Go left to the Tower Hill tube station...
Or turn right to see another section of the wall. Pretty amazing that it's still standing and that buildings have been constructed around it allowing history to remain.
It was a pretty easy train ride to Brighton. We had decided to do the hop-on, hop-off bus, always a quick way to orient ourselves in a new city.
Apparently Grand Central was part of the original railway station and is now a "boozy retreat."
Look at that beautiful sky...seriously, we have been so fortunate with the weather. We were flying solo again today as Pam and Trevor had booked a tour to Paris for the day.
St. Nicholas Church is the oldest surviving building in Brighton dating to the mid 14th century.
This building is currently a bank, although I'm sure it has some other history. There were about ten people on the top deck of the bus; clearly not high tourist season here yet.
The Jubilee Clock was built for Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 1887. The gold ball should rise and fall with the time, but it hasn't worked properly despite a huge investment in repairs.
Next stop, the Royal Pavilion...construction began in 1787 and it was built as a summer residence for George, Prince of Wales (later King George IV). Oh, the money to indulge their fantasies!
Birds over the Pavilion!
We were approaching the sea...
White buildings are a common sight in Brighton...
At last, beyond the buildings and the marinas...the sea!
I'm sure these beautiful cliffs were more stunning before the stores and car parks. Sadly, part of progression...
Endless graffiti...
Some of it quite beautiful and original...
And our first look at the pebble beaches of Brighton...
And the change houses...
And volleyball courts...
OK...I see where this is going now...full on touristy!
The Brighton pier...
That is a strange looking beach...
And this was our cue to get off...next bus in one hour. I didn't think we would have much trouble killing that hour!
A day at the beach...
This is so different from any beach we've encountered...it's all smooth pebbles.
These made me think of little mushroom men...
Seriously, look at that magnificent sky. We have been blessed with the most incredible weather.
If you're here, you might as well do it! I think we were fortunate to be here before high tourist season.
Tourist information...
Endless pebble beach...
So the kids throw pebbles at the seagulls (not happy about that); the seagulls think it's food, so they swarm. This guy suntanning was wondering what the heck was going on.
Interesting...these ladies approached the beach...
And next thing were swimming away strongly...go, ladies!
When we left on the bus, the ladies were way out by the pier in the water...
Brighton Rock! I remember as kids getting this type of candy, but it had the words Blackpool Rock on it.
Yum!
Brighton Pier...could it be any more garish? Only at night!
Back on the bus, we continued our tour. The Grand Brighton Hotel was built in 1864 and was intended for the upper classes. It was bombed in 1984 by the IRA in an attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Five people were killed and 31 injured, but Thatcher was "business as usual" the following morning.
The British Airways i360 giving you a panoramic view of the city and the sea...
This is what remains of the West Pier, which was originally built 1866 and closed in 1975. Peak attendance was in 1918 and 1919 when it had a concert hall. Since then it has deteriorated with parts of it being demolished to make room for the British Airways i360.
In its heyday...notice the taxis (or hackneys).
The collapse...this must have been so hard to see...
One of these buildings is original and the other is a replica. The trick was to determine which was which...difficult as you drive by on a bus!
Concerts and outdoor entertainment are still held here...
The King Edward VII memorial depicting an angel of peace. It marks the boundary between Brighton and Hove. Hove is jokingly called "Hove, Actually," as someone might say "You're from Brighton?" and the response would be, perhaps a bit snobbishly, "Hove, actually."
And now the beach changed from pebbles to grass...
Never too far from a statue of Queen Victoria...
I'm not sure what church this is, but I loved the spire...
Gwydyr Mansions in central Hove date back to the 1890s. These flats were built in an area in which "a certain gentility prevailed."
Endless white buildings...
Our tour was winding past the railway station again, but our destination was the Royal Pavilion.
These early 19th century row houses have been home to prostitutes, the army, squatters and now are residential again.
This style of architecture is unique in Brighton as most other buildings are in the Regency style. Love the old entrance...
Nice little spot for eating and watching buskers...maybe later!
We hopped off the bus at the Royal Pavilion. The driver said "Be sure to take the audio tour." Yes, m'am!
This exotic palace was built as a seaside pleasure home for King George IV. It mixes the Regency style with what was perceived to be styles of India and China.
King George IV proudly surveying his kingdom...
There is a lot going on here style-wise...
The beautiful gardens were restored to the original plan in the 1990s. They are looked after by a head gardener and a team of volunteers.
The cost to maintain the palace must be astronomical...
The dome in the background covers the original stables and is now a concert hall.
Heading to the entrance to begin our tour...no photos allowed.
I pilfered these on-line so you have an idea of how lavish it was...
King George was very proud of this modern kitchen. Where normally kitchens were in the basement or far from the dining room, he actually gave tours of his and once hosted a dinner in it.
We could have waited for the bus to take us back to the railway station, but it was supposedly a 10 minute walk, so off we went.
The Chapel Royal was built as a "chapel of ease" meaning it was a church building for those who could not easily reach the church. It became one of Brighton's more famous churches, gaining its own parish, and is still active today.
Well, the short walk was all uphill and it wasn't a pretty picture. We should have taken a cab. Jim did make it, but not without difficulty. No wonder he didn't gain any weight while we were away.
Home again and back at our favourite Goodman's Field pub. That beer glass pretty much describes Jim's trek up the hill.
The time has gone so quickly and it has been so much fun. Tomorrow is our last day!
2 comments:
A educational trip this morning. Never been to Brighton. I have enjoyed your trip throughly via your blog.
My father was stationed in Brighton in WWII. Thanks for the tour!
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