Over two hundred years before the buses, which now run through the Old Steine, a river called the Wellsbourne, ran through this area, occasionally causing flooding. However, by 1793 the waters of the river were running dry and the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Marlborough paid for them to be directed into a brick sewer.
The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Marlborough were not the only people investing in Brighton. The town became home to a number of guest houses and rich families. In the latter part of the 18th century, magnificent squares, terraces and crescents began to appear, among which were Sussex Square, Regency Square, Lewes Crescent and Hanover Crescent. The agricultural land between Brighton's original Lanes was developed for town housing. The quiet fishing village became a centre for health, fashion and entertainment (including prostitution). The Prince of Wales was good for Brighton, but British tax-payers had to pay for his extravagance. Both Parliament and King George III feared that Brighton was not good for the Prince of Wales or others in the kingdom.