Old Steine is a well known focal point, a good place to start a

tour of the City and  also convenient for most central Brighton

hotels. It is an area of architectural and historical interest

standing a few hundred yards to the North of Brighton Pier

and East of  The Lanes.

The derivation of ‘Steine’ is thought to be  from an earlier

form of the word stone. The area has connections with

sarsen stones, which were also used in the constructions

at both Stonehenge and Avebury.Several of these giant

blocks were found locally in the early nineteenth century

and some have been used in the foundations of the

Victoria Fountain.

Old Stein is on flat ground at the bottom of a valley.

It was given to flooding in the winter after heavy rainfall

on the Downs. The River Winterbourne, aptly named as it

flowed mostly in the wet winter months, carried the

rainwater towards these parts. Substantial development

in the town, incorporating improved drainage, diverted

the flow of the river and  the marshy conditions

are a thing of the past.

When fishing was the main industry in Brighton this

area was open and level. The fishermen used Old Steine

to spread out, dry and repair their fishing nets.

This position was convenient for their homes in

The Lanes and the proximity to the Seafront.

The growing popularity of Brighton, as a resort, also

saw Old Steine emerge as a fashionable district. It was

highly regarded as an area in which to be seen and to

promenade. Visitors of note would register the fact

that they were ‘in town’ at The Circulating Library.

A Master of Ceremonies would draw up a list of those

registered so that hosts could scrutinise the names and

choose those to be invited to the glamorous social events.

The library was also a place to meet for tea or coffee and

to socialise prior to another society event,

‘taking a promenade’  on the nearby Marine Parade.

The houses on Old Stein were large and expensive.

The  proximity of the neighbouring Royal Pavilion only

served to add to the desirability of the area. One of the

most famous residents was Duke of Marlborough,

who owned 54, Old Steine, around 1770.

The Victoria Fountain is a towering feature of the gardens.

It presents two basins of cascading water, fed from a

fountain some thirty foot above the ground . Three

and curling, cast iron dolphins rise from a circular pool

and support the upper structure. The fountain

commemorates the twenty-seventh birthday of

Queen Victoria on 25 May 1846.