Round About The Brighton Lanes-A Whistle Stop Tour For Visitors

Eroded by the sea, burnt by the French, flattenedprofessionals who worked there, and you will
by storms and nearly demolished in the swingingdiscover the Old Ship, a hotel described by William
sixties, the intricate maze of alleyways, twittensThackaray in Vanity Fair.
and catcreeps of the Brighton Lanes todayThe nearby Prince Albert Street bears off left at
remain tall as the backbone of Brighton old andthe Friends Centre, a picturesque and calming
new.spot, home to an early nineteenth century
Once the heart of the old fishing town ofQuaker Meeting House. Testimony to Brightons
Brighthelmstone, Brighton's historic quarter is onenon conformist nature, a Swedenborgian mission
of the few surviving examples of a Tudor fishingand a synagogue also sit nearby. Walk back along
town left in Britain. After the village was burnedPrince Albert Street to the impressive Town Hall,
to the ground by French invaders in the 16thturn right into Little East Street and set between
century it was rebuilt along the same streets.a series of nineteenth century tarred beach
Today, a pebble's throw from the beach and thepebble cottages, there is a hidden unmarked
lavish Royal Pavilion, four hundred year-oldalleyway. Easy to miss, this passageway
fishermen's cottages, quaint old pubs, brick-pavedrepresents a piece of cinematic history - once the
twittens and flint stone exteriors nestle alongsidelocation of a scene from the cult 60s Mods and
a modern day mix of bustling antique, jewelleryRockers film Quadrophenia. East Steet is also
and designer shops. Explore the hidden squareshome to Al Fornos, believed to be the house of
and winding passages and you will find the spirit ofthe famous Dipper Martha Gunn, who was a
royal, literary and cinematic connections of agreat favourite of the Prince of Wales. Meander
bygone age lingering amongst antique teddyback to Black Lion Street and stop off at The
bears, modern art and freshly roasted coffee.Black Lion, part of the Black Lion Brewery started
Duke Street is one entrance to the Brightonby Flemish immigrant Derek Carver. Carver was
Lanes. The famous cricket family, the Wisdens,found guilty of heresy and the first Protestant to
had a sports shop there and its now a heady mixbe martyred under Mary1, an event still
of fashion shops and cosmopolitan cafes. Victorianremembered every November in the nearby
horse-buses were once diverted up the street,Lewes Bonfire celebrations. The royal connections
because North Street was too steep, butcontinue in Black Lion Lane, a narrow twitten
congestion led to the street being demolished in aallegedly once the escape route of Charles 11, as
1870s road-widening scheme. This explains thehe fled to France - courtesy of a piggy back ride
two curiously distinct sides to the street. Lookfrom a local fisherman!
one way and you will note older bow-frontedExtending from the sea front to North Street
buildings of different heights. Glance to the otherbetween Ship Street and the Old Steine, the
and you will see a uniform terrace of much largerLanes are an extraordinary labyrinth of passage
white Victorian stucco buildings. Walk down Dukeways, wynds and twittens. Crammed with quaint
Street and turn into Middle Street and you will findand wonderous shops, restaurants and cafes, the
the earliest street to be developed in the middleLanes are best wandered lazily and explored as
of the Old Town - once home to Williamyou find them. You will often find buskers livening
Friese-Green, pioneer and patentee ofup the streets and when you are tired of staring
cinematography. Wander down the adjacent Shiplongingly in windows, grab a coffee, sit back in the
Street, once called White Waistcoat Street as asun and soak up the history of the Lanes to the
nod to the waistcoats worn by the prosperoussounds of some late summer jazz.