Marine Square and Eastern Terrace

Please note that this text is an extract from a reference work written in 1990.  As a result, some of the content may not reflect recent research, changes and events.

d) MARINE SQUARE: Built in 1823-5 for Thomas Attree, probably by Wilds and Busby. The houses, all listed, have balconies and verandahs, and some yellow-brick houses remain unstuccoed. In the early nineteenth century no.11 was the home of Cardinal John Newman (1801-90), a leading member of the Oxford Movement. The gardens were taken over by the corporation following the 1884 Brighton Improvement Act. {46,123,126}

e) EASTERN TERRACE: This imposing terrace has nine large, four-storey, listed houses of about 1827-8, some of the finest in the town. Nos.1-2 and 9 have wide bow fronts, while no.8 has a concave facade. Most have Doric porches, and nos.5-7 have unstuccoed first floors faced in yellow brick. No.1 was occupied from 1836 until 1858 by the first Lord Sudeley, and then by Sir Albert Sassoon in 1876-96; the Bombay Bar in St George’s Road (q.v.) behind the house was constructed as his private mausoleum. The house became the Court Royal Hotel in 1914, and was converted into Court Royal Mansions in the early 1950s. No.2 was the home of the famous journalist George Augustus Sala in the 1890s, while no.9 was occupied for some time by King Manoel II of Portugal during his exile; it later became the Royal Sussex Hotel and then part of the MunicipalTrainingCollege until the 1970s. {44,46,83}
Behind the terrace are the small cottages of Eastern Terrace Mews which were rebuilt in 1989. The mews is entered through an archway from St George’s Road.

Any numerical cross-references in the text above refer to resources in the
Sources and Bibliography section of the Encyclopaedia of Brighton by Tim Carder.

Comments about this page

  • The gardens in Marine Square are actually a Brighton Enclosure, controlled by a management committee of Marine Square residents elected by the residents. A special rate is raised to pay for upkeep and this is collected by the Council. The Enclosure is governed by Act of Parliament. There are two other Brighton Enclosures, at Royal Crescent and Hanover Crescent. Among other famous previous residents of Marine Square is August Eiffel, of tower fame, who was said to have looked out at the Chain Pier before coming up with his big idea. For more information about Marine Square, see http://www.marinesquare.co.uk – the web site should be up and running towards the end of 2007.

    By Rupert Radcliffe-Genge (10/07/2007)
  • I’m interested in information anyone might have about a former resident of Eastern Terrace, Lady Dorothy Mills, the noted female author and explorer of the early 20th century. After a terrible car accident and an acrimonious divorce, she retired to Eastern Terrace where she passed away in 1959 at the age of 70. Please contact me at will19008#yahoo.com if you have anything to share. I’ll be most grateful!

    By Sam Williams (16/01/2011)
  • Lady Dorothy Mills, the novelist, travel author, and explorer of the early 20th century lived at Steyning Mansions Hotel, circa 1939 until her death in 1959. Any information about Lady Dorothy and her life of semi-retirement in Brighton or about Steyning Mansions of that era would be most welcome! Please contact me at will19008 at yahoo.com, and thank you!

    By Sam Williams (18/01/2011)
  • According to to the above “blurb” I quote (OK copy and paste) the following no.11 was the home of Cardinal John Newman (1801-90), a leading member of the Oxford Movement. I lived at No 11b Marine Square, the small basement flat from my birth in November 1951 until 1963. I’ll have to look him up. Incidentally are there many Cardinal Newman’s?

    By Kim Orzynski (11/06/2013)
  • No 11 is about the second house down on the left in this photo.

    By Kim Orzynski (11/06/2013)
  • There may be many…but only one that is important in Brighton & Hove terms, hence the Hove Catholic school named after him. Brighton had historically been a quite ‘Low Church’ town but the arrival in the mid 19th century of the Wagners, father and son, hoisted the religious profile sky high, and the style of religion led Sir John Betjeman to later ascribe the initials of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR) to the London Brighton and South Coast RELIGION. Newman was a C of E clergyman who moved to ‘Popery’. Just Google him for LOTS of info!

    By Geoffrey Mead (13/06/2013)
  • My partner and I have just brought a flat in 1 Eastern Terrace and we were wondering if anyone has any old photos of Eastern Terrace and in particular Court Royal Mansions which was previously the Court Royal Hotel or know anywhere we may find some? Many thanks in advance.

    By Jenny Hole (12/07/2015)
  • My wife and I lived in the first floor flat at 15 Marine Square when we married in 1967. It was only later that we learned that the house belonged to Magnus Volk. not sure if it was before or after he lived at Preston Park.

    By john partridge (03/07/2020)

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