History of Brighton and the Royal Pavilion palace

Local history tour:

The history of Brighton & the Royal Pavilion.

Start the history tour or Test your knowledge of Brighton's past.

The Test your knowledge section is for English practice at post-intermediate and advanced levels and is especially suitable for learners on educational visits to Brighton and Hove.

01 The early history of Brighton

Romans & Saxons settle in 'Brighthelmston'
1086 Brighton gets its name in the Domesday Book as William gets ready to tax Britain
1514 Brighton gets burnt to the ground by French raiders - only the church remains
1580 Brighton's fishing fleet one of the best in England
1600 East North & West Streets rebuilt. South Street eaten by sea!
1651 Defeated King Charles II makes his escape from Brighton to France
1665 Brighton loses its fishing trade as much of the lower town is destroyed by the sea
1667 Birth of a medical genius from a medical family
1703 Great Storm destroys Brighton. Town cries out for help
1724 Brighton's saviour graduates from Dutch University near the sea and starts work in London hospital

02 The birth of the world's first seaside resort

1750 Brighton takes over from Bath as the healthy place to be
1750 Doctor's dissertation claims that Sea-Water can cure glandular diseases
1753 Doctor opens new Brighton clinic by the sea
1750-1780 Brighton's townspeople take their chance, but Dr Russell dies in 1757
1756 Birth of a devout Catholic lady who married three times
1714-1830 Carry on George!
1762 Birth of Brighton's Prince Regent
1765-1783 Brighton's first royal visitors and the streets named after them

03 George Prince of Wales in Brighton

1783 The Prince of Wales's first visit to Brighton at the invitation of his bad uncle
1784 The Prince of Wales's second & third visits to Brighton on the advice of his doctors
1785-6 Prinny's secret wedding and early debts. Maria's introduction to Brighton.
1786-7 Prince to get Henry Holland to turn Thomas Kemp's farmhouse into Marine Pavilion
1788-93 The river Wellsbourne declines as Brighton flourishes
1789 The effects of two revolutions

04 A badly planned royal marriage

1794 King to pay Prince's £640,000 debt if he leaves Maria and marries Princess Caroline
1800 The Pope says OK, and lovers George and Maria get back together again.
1803 Work begins on Royal Stables. East Street is shortened. New Road is built
1807 Prince buys Marine Pavilion for £17,000 complete with onions
1807 The Theatre Royal opens in New Road
1808 The Prince's indoor Riding House - one of the largest single rooms of its time

05 The Prince Regent and George IV (ruler of Britain)

1811 King George III becomes very ill. The Prince of Wales is England's new ruler
1811-18 Prince leave Maria and employs John Nash to create the Royal Pavilion
1820-21 George III dies, George IV is crowned King as Caroline is kept away
Brighton and the Royal Pavilion 1830 until now

06 LINKS

Link to the Royal Pavilion's OFFICIAL web site map

07 English Language Exercises on Brighton & Hove

1086-1759 History Quiz [True or False]: the making of Brighton as a seaside resort
English prepositions: Seabathing in Brighton and The Royal Pavilion
English prepositions: Welcome to the city of Brighton
1762-1830 History Quiz [True or False] the Prince, The Prince Regent & King George IV
1762-1830 History Quiz Reading Comprehension] questions on the period
1842 The London, Brighton & South Coast Railway Company: letter-writing and adjective comparison [Part 1]
1842 The Brighton Comet Stagecoach Company: letter-writing and adjective comparison
1837-1901 Text on Magnus Volk, inventer of the first electric railway in the world in Brighton
1837-1901 Reading comprehension questions on the period
1901-1950 History Quiz [True or False]: Brighton in the early to mid 20th century
1981 Gambling and amusement arcades: Connectors 'and', 'because', 'but' or 'so'
1983 Text on dirty beaches: Active to Passive & Reported Speech
1983 Text on the Duke of York's cinema: Vocabulary + Passives
1985 Text 'Stop them killing public transport' & reading comprehension questions
1985 Text 'Healthy transport', reading comprehension, discussion & letter-writing
1997 The Full Monty - Now showing at The Duke of York's Picture House: 'and', 'because', 'but' or 'so'
Gap Fill 'Entertainment & Leisure in Brighton & Sussex': use & non-use of the definite article
Table of examples of use & non-use of the definite article. Write sentences incorporating similar examples
Gap Fill & Grid: Chia-ming & Mrs Hoover: Brighton's worst student and landlady: phrasal verbs with UP
Planning a wedding & honeymoon in Brighton: letter-writing and giving directions
'Is Brighton's West Pier worth saving?' Pessimism - not worth + Gerund versus Optimism - Passive Constructions
Gap Fill 'Disappointed Love' - Verbs followed by Gerund or Infinitive constructions
Gap Fill Account of Brighton's history: Logical Connectors
Table of Logical Connectors - use for linking sentences on the next page.
Practice in linking sentences using grid on last page - theme: advice to students
Table for phrasal to latinate verb substitution - reference material for next practice page
Practice in phrasal verb to latinate verb substitution using dialogue 'Living in Brighton'
2001 What should be done with Palmeira Square?: presentation - reading and note-taking
2001 What should be done with Palmeira Square?: exploitation - listening, oral reconstruction & discussion
ANSWER KEY TO EXERCISES

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