Sussex Group Visit to Brighton’s North Laine Conservation Area

Thursday 17 October, 11.30am - 1.30pm 

Join the Sussex Group on a visit to Brighton’s North Laine conservation area, a bohemian and cultural quarter, with many pubs, cafés, theatres and museums. 

The space surrounding Brighton was once occupied by "laines", open farming plots of a type that seem to have been generally unchanged in style since the Middle Ages, one of which was North Laine. By the 19th century, the farming plots were encircled by major municipal roads. With building developments across Brighton beginning to encroach upon the fields, the tracks that had divided the individual hide plots were normalized into streets as seen today. 

The growth of North Laine was not a product of fashion, but of utility. Its purpose was to serve the rest of fashionable Brighton with its small industries - foundries, blacksmiths, and other crafts, and provide homes for the workforce of the growing town.  

Ken Fines, Borough Planning Officer for Brighton from 1974 to 1983 is credited with having saved the North Laine area from extensive redevelopment that could have seen existing buildings being replaced by new high-rise buildings, a flyover and a large car park. After considerable opposition by council members and businesses, the council eventually came round to his view, and the North Laine Conservation Area was designated in 1977. 

The walking tour, lasting approximately two hours, will be led by Dr Geoffrey Mead, associate tutor at the University of Sussex.

How to get there

The meeting point is the Brighton Museum entrance in the Royal Pavilion Gardens, a short walk from Brighton’s main railway terminus.  

Accessibility

This visit will involve significant periods of standing and walking. 

Anything we can do to make this event more accessible for you? Please email membership@spab.org.uk. 

We may take photos or videos at this event to be used in future promotion, including in print and online.

All bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions. 

Photo: Kensington Gardens © By Antiquary - Own work, CC BY 4.0