Brighton hidden heritage
Brighton and Hove is a city rich in heritage.
Magnificent buildings like the Royal Pavilion and seafront squares and crescents demand attention and can sometimes dominate some of the more hidden heritage of the city.
So here are a few of the 'hidden' heritage gems of Brighton and Hove you shouldn't miss:
The Chattri Memorial
During the First World War injured Indian soldiers were hospitalised in the Dome in Brighton. The Hindus and Sikhs who died were cremated on the downs and, in 1921, the Chattri memorial was constructed on the cremation site. One of Brighton's most unique monuments, you can find out how to get there on the Brighton and Hove council website.
Brighton Fishing Museum
The fascinating history of the fishing industry and beach leisure trade of Brighton is presented at Brighton's Fishing Museum. Working fishermen in adjacent arches bring history to life, whilst exhibitions of boats and fishing artefacts alongside contemporary film and slide shows offer an intriguing insight into the fishing heritage of the city.
Sculptural heritage
Brighton is also home to an array of impressive sculptural works. From the ‘doughnut’ and Kiss Wall on Brighton seafront to the ‘singing’ sculptures in Churchill Square, why not download the National Recording Project for Sussex Brighton Sculpture Trail and learn more about Brighton’s rich and diverse sculptural heritage?
Foredown Tower
Home to one of only two operational camera obscuras in South East England, Foredown Tower is an impressive Edwardian water tower built in 1909. Of architectural interest it has been converted with great care to preserve its many original features.
Brighton Sewer Tours
Don't worry, they aren't used anymore. Brighton's Victorian sewerage system is actually one of the most magnificent examples of Victorian civil engineering in the country.
Tours of the award-winning sewers, which run from May until September, have become established as a highly popular attraction for tourists and local residents alike.
St Andrew's Church
Set back from the seafront, this Regency church was built to serve the expanding resorts of Hove and Brighton. Designed in 1827 by the famous architect Sir Charles Barry, its Italian Renaissance style perfectly matches the symmetry and grandeur of the neighbouring squares and terraces.
Extended in the 1880s, the church was further beautified in 1925 when Randoll Blacking added superb baldacchinos for altar and font to fulfil the parish priest's desire that St Andrew's should become 'a little bit of Italy in Waterloo Street'
