discover royal the pavilion - royal pavilion and museums

Discoverthe Royal

PavilionA cross-curricular Teacher Resource for all Key Stages

A cross-curricular Teacher Resource for all Key Stages

Contents

3 Introduction

4 Curriculum Links

6 Timeline of the Development of Brighton

7 Pre-Pavilion Brighton

9 Brighton, George and the building of the

Royal Pavilion

11 Highlights of the Royal Pavilion

14 Chinoiserie

18 Innovation and technology in the Royal Pavilion

20 Dining and entertainment in the Royal Pavilion

22 The impact of the Royal Pavilion on Brighton during George IV’s lifetime

25 The Royal Pavilion in Victorian times

27 The development of Victorian Brighton

29 The impact of the Royal Pavilion on the development of modern Brighton

33 Suggested Activities

35 Primary source: ground floor plan of the Royal Pavilion

36 Primary source: map of Brighthelmstone, 1779

37 Primary source: map of Brighton, 1850

38 Schools at the Royal Pavilion

Discover theRoyal Pavilion

Eccentric,extravagant,extraordinary…

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IntroductionEccentric, extravagant, extraordinary …

One of the most exotically beautiful buildings in the British Isles, the Royal Pavilion is themagnificent former seaside residence of King George IV. Its fantastic domes and spiresmake it an easily recognisable icon, to both residents and visitors to Brighton & Hove alike.The story of the Royal Pavilion includes parties, hospitals and flower shows, containsinfluences from China, India and France, and includes characters as diverse as fishermen,monarchs and soldiers. As a unique palace, with a fascinating history and breathtakingdecorations to discover, the Royal Pavilion has also played a key role in the development ofBrighton and its international reputation for over 200 years.

So how did a poor fishing town become the most fashionable coastal resort in Britain? Whatwas the vision behind the design of the Royal Pavilion? And how does the Royal Pavilioncontinue to influence the character of Brighton & Hove to this day? In this publication, theLearning Team for the Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove, hopes to make the RoyalPavilion more accessible to teachers and their students by increasing their knowledge of thePavilion, its history and impact on Brighton. By providing teachers with a greaterunderstanding of the value of historic buildings and artefacts to inspire students’engagement, creative thinking and learning, the resource also demonstrates the diverseways in which the Royal Pavilion can be used as a cross-curricular learning resource.

The resource is divided into three broad areas: pre-Pavilion Brighton, the Royal Pavilion andpost-Pavilion Brighton. It contains National Curriculum links, a timeline, discussion points,suggested activities across the curriculum, primary resources for use in the classroom andworksheets to support independent visits to the Pavilion … everything a teacher needs to‘Discover the Royal Pavilion’.

Discover the Royal Pavilion

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National Curriculum 2014

History curriculum1. know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative,

from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation andhow Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world

2. know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature ofancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features ofpast non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind

3. gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’

4. understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence,similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections, drawcontrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create their ownstructured accounts, including written narratives and analyses

5. understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorouslyto make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments andinterpretations of the past have been constructed

6. gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts,understanding the connections between local, regional, national and internationalhistory; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; andbetween short- and long-term timescales.

7. a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronologicalknowledge beyond 1066

Specific Curriculum Links• a study over time tracing how several aspects of national history are reflected in the

locality (this can go beyond 1066) • a study of an aspect of history or a site dating from a period beyond 1066 that is

significant in the locality.• significant historical events, people and places in their own locality• challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day• the development of the British Empire with a depth study (for example, of India)• the First World War and the Peace Settlement• Indian independence and end of Empire


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Art & Design curriculumThe national curriculum for art and design aims to ensure that all pupils:• produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences• become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design

techniques• evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design• know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and

cultural development of their art forms

Specific Curriculum LinksKey stage 1• about the work of a range of artists, craft makers and designers, describing the

differences and similarities between different practices and disciplines, and making linksto their own work

Key stage 2• about great artists, architects and designers in history

Key stage 3• to analyse and evaluate their own work, and that of others, in order to strengthen the

visual impact or applications of their work• about the history of art, craft, design and architecture, including periods, styles and

major movements from ancient times up to the present day


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1086 Domesday survey values Brighton at £121514 French raiders burn Brighton to the ground1660–1705 Series of storms leads to severe coastal erosion and threatens the future of the town’s

fishing industry1750 Dr Russell publishes ‘Dissertation in the use of Seawater in the Diseases of

the Glands’1783 Prince of Wales first visits Brighton at the age of 211785 Prince of Wales secretly and illegally marries Maria Fitzherbert1786 Prince of Wales rents a small farmhouse on the Steine1787 Henry Holland transforms the farmhouse into the Marine Pavilion1795 Prince of Wales marries Caroline of Brunswick1800 50–60 shops on North Street sell fashionable goods for Brighton’s new, wealthy inhabitants1807 Theatre Royal opens its doors for the first time1811 George, Prince of Wales, becomes Prince Regent1814 Sake Deen Mahomed opens Mahomed’s Baths 1815–1823 John Nash engaged to remodel the Pavilion. Existing rooms are altered and notable

additions include the Banqueting and Music Rooms and the Great Kitchen. The exterior isredesigned, inspired by Indian architecture. A lavish chinoiserie style dominates the interior.

1816–1817 French chef Marie-Antoine Carême employed at the Royal Pavilion creating prolific mealswith up to 60 dishes

1820 Prince Regent becomes King George IV1823 Italian composer Rossini visits the Royal Pavilion1827 George IV visits Brighton for the last time1830 George IV dies. William IV and Queen Adelaide visit Brighton1837 Queen Victoria visits the Royal Pavilion for the first time1841 Arrival of the railway in Brighton1842 Queen Victoria visits the Royal Pavilion with Prince Albert and her two children1850 The Royal Pavilion is bought by Brighton Corporation for £53,0001866 Opening of the West Pier 1867–1873 The Royal Stables and Riding House are transformed into a concert hall, corn exchange and

a museum, art gallery and library1872 Opening of the Brighton Aquarium and Dolphinarium1883 Volk’s Electric Railway opens1896 Volk’s Daddy Longlegs can be seen off Brighton Beach1914–1918 The Royal Pavilion used as a military hospital for wounded Indian soldiers1920–1939 Pavilion used for public assemblies and entertainment1921 The Indian Gate and the Chattri are erected in memory of the Indian soldiers1940s Restoration of the Royal Pavilion begins in earnest1964 Mods and Rockers clash on Brighton seafront1975 Arson attack on the Royal Pavilion severely damages the Music Room1987 Music Room is further damaged during the October stormPresent day About 300,000 people visit the Royal Pavilion each year. Brighton & Hove is the most popular

coastal destination for foreign visitors to the UK

Timeline of theDevelopment of Brighton


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In the Domesday survey of 1086 Bristemestune (Brighton) wasvalued at £12 and was charged a tax of 4,000 herring, a figurethat testifies to its status as a small fishing town. The medievaltown was contained within East Street, West Street, and NorthStreet. St Nicholas Church at the top of Church Street servedas both a place of worship, St Nicholas being the patron saintof fishermen, and as a beacon to guide fishing boats back toshore. In June 1514 Brighthelmstone (another name forBrighton) was burnt to the ground by French raiders during awar between England and France. Only part of St NicholasChurch and the medieval street pattern of what is now theLanes survived the attack.

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1 (1558–1603) Brightonhad amassed a large fishing fleet and by 1660 was the second largest town in Sussex. Brighton fishermen used'Hogboats', which suited fishing conditions at Brighton. Theyhad a very wide beam making them stable in rough seas andwere easily hauled onto the shingle beaches. Some were even cut in half and used as homes on the beach by thepoorest fishermen. By the mid 1700s, Brighton had sunk intodecline. Between 1665 and 1705 a series of great storms led tosevere coastal erosion, which destroyed large areas of theseafront. The livelihood of the town was threatened as itbecame increasingly difficult to set sail and bring fish ashore.By 1740, Brighton’s population amounted to no more than1,000 people.

Brighton’s transformation from a struggling fishing town to afashionable seaside resort began in 1750 with the publicationof a book by Dr Richard Russell of Lewes entitled ‘Dissertation in the Use of Seawater in the Diseases of theGlands’. Dr Russell specialised in treating ailments such asgout but also recognised the benefits of physical exercise forpeople leading sedentary lives. He believed in the therapeuticvalue of the iodine in sea water and the medicines he gave hispatients to drink included ingredients such as woodlice,cuttlefish bones, crabs’ eyes, bicarbonate of soda, milk andsea water. Dr Russell’s reputation, combined with Brighton’sproximity to London (it only took three to five hours to travelfrom London to Brighton) gave the town an advantage overother seaside resorts and ensured its success as afashionable seaside resort for high society.

Pre-Pavilion Brighton Discover the Royal Pavilion

Model of a Hogboat

Dr Richard Russell FRS

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The impact of Dr Russell’s endorsement of Brighton wasimmediate. Unemployed fishing families were quick to takeadvantage of opportunities to provide a range of services towealthy visitors. Lodging houses sprang up around the townto accommodate Dr Russell’s patients, and an evolvingbuilding industry met the demand for lodging houses for thetown’s new holiday-makers. But perhaps most famously, manyfishermen and women found new employment as dippers andbathers. Dr Russell’s sea cure advocated the total submersionof the patient in the sea. Access to the sea was provided bybathing machines, small boxes on wheels in which thepatients were seated while bathing attendants transportedthem from the beach to the water.

Dippers (for women) and bathers (for men) were employed tomake sure the patient’s head was dipped into the water. Themost famous bather in Brighton was Smoaker Miles, wholater taught the Prince of Wales to swim in the sea. MarthaGunn was Brighton’s most famous dipper. She lived in ahouse in East Street, and is buried in St Nicholas churchyard.Dipping took place all year round since cold water wasconsidered to be good for the health. However indoor bathsalso developed from 1769 for those who were not braveenough to go in the sea all year round.

The Bathing Place withSmoaker's Machines, c. 1750

Martha Gunn the BrightonBather, c. 1800

Activities and Ideas If you made a healthy drink, what would you put in it?

How would Brighton’s fishermen and their familieshave viewed the wealthy visitors who came to the townto take Dr Russell’s sea water cure and bathe in thesea?

Look at the map of Brighthelmstone dated 1779 (page 36). Can you identify the medieval street pattern?What else can you see?


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George IV first visited the town shortly after coming of age in1783, when he was still the Prince of Wales. He stayed with hisuncle, the Duke of Cumberland, at Grove House on the Steine.He was prompted to visit on the advice of his physicians whothought that the sea water might ease the swellings of theglands in his neck. However another and perhaps strongerappeal was the desire to escape the constraints of the stiflingcourt of his father. The attractions of Brighton were not purelymedicinal, for the Prince also enjoyed the lively company ofthe circle of the Duke of Cumberland, the theatre, gamblingand the races. Throughout George’s lifetime, the town ofBrighton provided an escapist playground where he couldindulge all his passions: dining, music, gambling and women.

Brighton’s distance from the Royal Court in London meantthat the town also provided a discreet location for the Princeto enjoy liaisons with his long-time companion MariaFitzherbert. The Prince had secretly married Maria in 1785, butthe marriage was declared illegal because descendents ofGeorge III were not allowed to marry without permission fromthe monarch. The Prince eventually agreed to take a moreappropriate wife and in 1795 he married his cousin PrincessCaroline of Brunswick. Despite the birth of their daughterCharlotte in 1796, it was a loveless marriage. The Prince hadmany mistresses throughout his life, the most enduring ofwhich was Maria Fitzherbert, for whom he built Steine House(now the YMCA), which was conveniently near the Prince’sresidence.

After the Prince’s first visit to Brighton, George rented a‘superior farmhouse’ on the Steine, from local landownerThomas Kemp. In 1787 the Prince asked architect HenryHolland to transform the farmhouse. The resulting small neo-classical structure with a central domed rotunda and glazedtile exterior was known as the Marine Pavilion. Although notas audacious as its later incarnation, the Marine Pavilionmade quite a statement against its neighbouring buildings ofbrick and stone.

Brighton, George and the building of the Royal Pavilion

George IV

The Marine Pavilion can be seento the left of the Steine


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The transformation of Holland’s Pavilion did not commenceuntil 1815, by which time the Prince had become Regent. Thechosen architect was John Nash. The entire building, both thestructure and the elaborate internal decorations, took sevenyears to complete and was finally finished in 1823. Theevolution of the Pavilion from the Marine Pavilion to the grandoriental design of John Nash mirrors the changing status ofGeorge from Prince of Wales to Prince Regent (from 1811) andfinally to King George IV (from 1820). The Pavilion and itsgrounds not only became grander to reflect the status of amonarch, but also more private in order to shield the Kingfrom the critical eyes of the press and the public. George livedin a turbulent historical period, which experienced both theAmerican and French Revolutions. People in Britain worriedthat what had happened in France might be repeated inBritain. George’s decadent antics did nothing to quell thisanxiety.

The building of the Royal Pavilion also coincided with Britain’swar with France (the Napoleonic Wars, 1803–1815). The warled to increased taxation, a reduction in exports due toblockades, unemployment and inflation. In this context, it isunsurprising that the extravagant lifestyle of the Princeangered many of his own subjects and ministers who felt thathis profligacy was disgraceful in the face of such poverty.

Activities and Ideas Why did George IV choose Brighton as his favourite

holiday resort?

How many streets in Brighton can you find that arenamed after George IV and his family?

Write a profile of George IV, describing his characterand the key events in his life.

The Pavilion at Brighton, c.1810.By 1810, the Royal Pavilionestate was surrounded byrailings to ensure the Prince’sprivacy


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Entrance Hall In great houses this room was oftendecorated and furnished to impress guests, but in the Pavilionit was conceived to surprise; it only hints at what is to come.

The Long Gallery The visitor today passes into the LongGallery through a wide doorway over which originally ran aconcealed staircase for servants. This bridge staircaseenabled servants to move between the north and south endsof the Pavilion without being seen by guests. The Long Galleryprovided an area in which to promenade. Guests would walkand converse, admiring the furnishings and décor.

The Banqueting Room provided a place where a hostcould display his wealth and impress his guests. The table isset for dessert and George IV’s armchair can be seen in themiddle of the seating arrangement. The huge domed ceiling isdecorated with the exotic foliage of a plantain tree. Someelements are in three-dimensional copper, the rest is paintedto create a trompe l’oeil effect. Hanging below the dome is anenormous carved and silvered dragon from which issuspended a crystal chandelier measuring nine metres inheight and weighing one ton.

The Great Kitchen was very modern for its time and wasequipped with the latest kitchen technology. A large and airyroom, the Great Kitchen was a change from the stuffy, airless,gloomy kitchens of many large houses. Similarly, its proximityto the Banqueting Room was unusual as kitchens were morecommonly located at some distance to reduce the risk of fireand smells. The arrangement in the Pavilion ensured that foodwas served hot.

Highlights of the Royal Pavilion


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The Banqueting Room Gallery The decoration in thisroom is toned down not only to contrast with the BanquetingRoom, but also to create a calm, relaxing atmosphere. Guestswould withdraw to this room after eating. Ladies would retirefirst, leaving the gentlemen to their port and cigars. Gamessuch as cards, backgammon and chess would be played here.Palm trees, made of cast iron, covered in carved wood,support the upper floor.

The Saloon was originally designed as the Pavilion’s mainreception room. The room today contains a variety ofinfluences: arches of Indian inspiration crown the Frenchwindows, whilst the walls contain panels of Chinesewallpaper. The couch is styled as an Egyptian river boat inpatriotic homage to Lord Nelson’s victory in the Battle of theNile in 1798.

The Music Room Gallery Like the Banqueting RoomGallery, this room provided calm after the grandeur of themain state rooms. The room would have been used for smallconcerts and recitals. The carpet could also be removed toallow the floor to be chalked for dancing.

The Music Room Music was a major form ofentertainment at the Royal Pavilion and the Music Room wasdesigned to enhance the guests’ enjoyment. A canopy ofimitation bamboo hangs over the huge organ and theopposite wall, giving the impression of a tent. The domedceiling is decorated with 26,000 plaster cockleshells coveredin 18 carat gold. Nine lotus shaped chandeliers aresuspended from the ceiling, and in total there are around 180dragons and serpents decorating the room.


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The King’s Apartments The suite consisted of abedroom, library, anteroom and bathroom (the last room nolonger exists), and were the King’s private rooms. Only theanteroom was ever seen by the public, acting as a waitingroom for those seeking private consultation with the King.Green walls are embellished with a complicated design ofdragons, dolphins, birds and flowers. The rooms express thedeeper, more reflective side of the King’s nature.

The Yellow Bow Rooms Formerly the bedrooms ofGeorge IV’s brothers, the Duke of York and Duke of Clarence,this suite of rooms includes a lobby and a servant room.

Queen Victoria’s Apartments Queen Victoria’sbedroom is located over the Entrance Hall, with four atticrooms above to accommodate her dressers. The chamberfloor was adapted to accommodate Victoria’s two childrenand Prince Albert who visited the Pavilion in 1842.

The South Galleries were used as breakfast rooms bythe Prince Regent’s resident guests. The apartments to theleft (east) side of the South Galleries had been used by thePrince himself until infirmity forced him to move to the groundfloor.


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The Royal Pavilion is one of the best examples of chinoiserie inBritain and plays a crucial part in understanding George IV’svision for the building. The fashion for chinoiserie was inter-linked with the activities of the various East Indian companiesthat were established across Europe from the 16th centuryonwards. The British East India Company was formed by agroup of investors for the exploitation of trade with the East,Southeast Asia and India. The availability of imported goodssuch as silk, lacquer, bamboo and porcelain affected bothinterior and exterior design all over Europe.

Many royal palaces in Europe had a room or a building with achinoiserie interior, and by the 1750s a Chinese bedroom anddressing room were considered the height of fashion.Although influenced by Chinese goods, the idea of chinoiseriewas rooted in the fantasy of a magical realm that appealed tothe imagination of the European court. Chinoiserie depictsChina as an idealised country, a kingdom of flowers andperpetual spring ruled over by a benevolent emperor. ToBritish designers Chinese and Japanese dragons summed upall that was strange and wonderful about the East. Thesemythical beasts became common chinoiserie motifs. Othermotifs included bells, birds, shells and Chinese figures,pagoda cresting, and pierced or fretted galleries. Manyexamples of these motifs can be found on wallpaper,ornaments, furniture and fittings in the Royal Pavilion.

The exterior of the Royal Pavilion, with itsdomes and minarets was inspired bydrawings of Indian architecture found inOriental Scenery, a collection of drawings byThomas and William Daniell who hadtravelled to India. Oriental Scenery waswidely published and helped topopularise the Indian style. Newindustrial techniques of massproduction continued this trend:transfer printed Chinese-style designsof tableware, especially blue andwhite, were cheap and popular by the1830s. A favourite was the willowpattern, developed about 1795 byJosiah Spode.

Chinoiserie

Chinese Porcelain Vase,1796–1820

Detail of clerestory windows inEntrance Hall


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George IV was Britain’s greatest devotee of chinoiserie in the19th century, and the fantastic and exotic decorative schemein the Royal Pavilion reflects his desire to impress members ofEuropean courts as well as to entertain and delight hisfriends. George’s phenomenal and exaggerated use of orientalmotifs in the Royal Pavilion heralded a reinvention ofchinoiserie in Britain. Previously, chinoiserie was considered aplayful style that was reserved for more private and informalrooms such as bedrooms and tea pavilions. It was also afashion that was associated by critics with promiscuouswomen, so the King’s patronage of the style must haveseemed shocking to many visitors to the Pavilion. Indeed,there are many disparaging contemporary commentsregarding the effeminate interior. With the internal andexternal decoration of the Royal Pavilion, George IVtransformed chinoiserie into a court style but, paradoxically,advertised the building as a residence where the rules of courtdid not apply. Chinoiserie was a symbol for the escapism thatthe Royal Pavilion offered the King.

The rich colours, mythological creatures and dramatic lightingin the Royal Pavilion produced an exhilarating atmosphere,which was theatrical in spirit. Each room was designed tocreate a different mood. The decorative schemes work fromfloor to ceiling and increase in richness as the visitorpenetrates further into the building. Equally overwhelmingwas the stifling, perfumed air that pervaded the building andthe luxurious Axminster carpets in the Banqueting Room,Music Room and the Saloon, into which the feet of the guestswould literally have sunk. The building induced a sensoryoverload that left many guests struggling to describe theexperience of visiting such an incredible place.

The Royal Pavilion


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This sense of fantasy combined with chinoiserie is evident inthe optical illusions and decorative tricks that characterise theLong Gallery. Cast iron is made to look like bamboo andcarefully placed mirrors reflect images across the gallery,exaggerating its length. Imitation Chinese bells hang fromscrolls above trellises of imitation bamboo. The centralskylight is decorated with dragons, flowers and the ChineseGod of Thunder.

The hand-painted Chinese wallpapers in the Adelaide Corridorprobably date from the second half of the 18th century. Theyare unique in being the only original Chinese papers left insitu in the building and have survived despite the physicalwear and tear of a domestic area, and the harmful effects ofvarnishing in the Victorian period. The panoramic landscapesare filled with hunting scenes, processions of large figures,and a dragon boat festival over which the eight immortalTaoist gods preside.

Perhaps unsurprisingly the most dramatic examples ofchinoiserie are reserved for the main state rooms. In theBanqueting Room the centrepiece is the huge chandelier,held in the claws of a silvered dragon, which is surrounded bysix smaller dragons that would have exhaled light throughlotus glass shades. The effect would have been dazzling. Thewalls of the Banqueting Room were hung with large canvasespainted with Chinese domestic scenes mounted in trompel’oeil trellis frames. The elaborate furniture includes lampswith dragon mounts, sideboards with gilded dragons andcanopies decorated with bells hang over the doors.

Detail of the cast-iron staircasein the Long Gallery


Detail of the dragon holding thecentral chandelier in theBanqueting Room

Detail of the original Chinesepaper in the Adelaide Corridor

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In the Music Room, the chinoiserie scheme reaches itscrescendo. The room is like a huge lacquered box lit by waterlily and dragon shaped gasoliers. Blazing crimson and goldChinese landscape murals framed by gigantic serpents andwinged dragons cover the walls. Trompe l’oeil landscapeswere often painted on walls in 18th century houses, but herepillars, dragons, serpents and trellis work, rather, deceive theeye. Drapes of blue and crimson satin at the floor to ceilingwindows are supported by dragons and serpents. The domedceiling of the Music Room is covered by 26,000 overlappingcockleshells, reminiscent of the scales on snakeskin. Gildingwas used on the cockleshells to create an illusion of height;this was achieved partly by the sizes of the cockleshellsdiminishing towards the apex, and partly by changing thetones of the gilding.

The Music Room

Activities and Ideas Create your own chinoiserie wallpaper using motifs

found in the Royal Pavilion

Imagine that you are a friend of George IV and arevisiting the Royal Pavilion for the first time. How wouldyou describe the experience?

Why was chinoiserie such a popular style?

What does chinoiserie tell us about the way peopleviewed non-European countries in the 18th and 19th centuries?

What other goods were introduced to Britain as a resultof the East India Companies’ trade links?

What was the legacy of the British East India Company?

What story is told through the willow pattern?


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The Prince Regent wanted the Royal Pavilion to be theultimate in comfort and convenience, and there are manyexamples of how the Pavilion benefited from modernequipment and progressive technology. Nash’s remodelling ofthe Pavilion often involved ingenious solutions to structuralproblems and the use of materials previously not associatedwith interior design. For example, in order to give the Saloon alarger Indian inspired dome, a cast-iron structure was erectedaround it on which an iron frame for the new dome wasrested, thus avoiding any damage to the ceiling of the domebelow. Cast iron was also cleverly used in the Long Gallerywhere it allowed sturdy staircases to be constructed whichlooked like bamboo, in keeping with the gallery’s chinoiseriescheme.

The King was enormously proud of the Great Kitchen, andguests were escorted to inspect this room, conceived by theKing as a continuation of the Pavilion’s public apartments.One of the key pieces of new technology in the kitchen wasthe steam table. It was fitted with a cast-iron top, and bound inbrass. Food, prepared and arranged on silver dishes, was keptwarm on the table, which was covered with a cloth. Thisallowed numerous prepared dishes to be kept warm ready tobe served in the Banqueting Room. The table was heated bythe main and scullery boilers by means of an extensive copperpiping system.

On the south wall of the Great Kitchen was another exampleof innovation. The smokejack was a more sophisticated andefficient version of a Tudor spit. It was automatic, activated bythe heat of the fire. Fitted with five 2-metre spits, thesmokejack allowed the chef to prepare several different roastssimultaneously. The Great Kitchen also benefited from an icehouse, which stood in the southwest corner of the grounds. Incold winters ice was collected in carts from local ponds andstreams, and placed in pits lined with layers of straw toprovide insulation. In proper conditions ice could last allsummer, providing a continuous supply for culinary andmedical uses.

Innovation andTechnology in the Royal Pavilion

The Saloon from Nash’s Viewsshowing Nash’s use of a cast-iron frame to support the centraldome


In this image of The GreatKitchen from Nash’s Views, thesteam table is in the centre andthe smokejack can be seen tothe left

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Lighting by day and by night was crucial in creating thedramatic atmosphere of the Pavilion’s elaborate interiors. ThePavilion used a range of different lighting techniquesincluding wax candles, tallow (animal fat) candles and oillamps. There was a room dedicated to storing the hugequantity of lighting supplies. The smoke from the numerouschandeliers, lanterns and oil lamps that lit the interior sobrilliantly inevitably caused damage to the paintwork andceilings, requiring regular cleaning and re-painting tomaintain the splendour of the Pavilion. Gas lighting wasinstalled outside the Music Room in 1821 and used to lightthe elliptical windows from the exterior, suffusing the interiorwith soft colours.

A final progressive piece of technology in George IV’s Pavilionwas the provision of water closets. This modest-sized Pavilionhad over 30 water closets and the ladies’ retiring room nearthe Banqueting Room, had its own private water closets forfemale dinner guests. The water closets throughout thePavilion were supplied with water from cisterns. Water waspumped throughout the building through iron mains and leadpipes by a forcing engine in the water tower, which waslocated in the kitchen courtyard to the south.

‘The Music Room, the RoyalPavilion: Grand Re-opening Ballof 1851’ by Aaron Penley

Activities and Ideas What are the similarities and differences between the

Great Kitchen in the Royal Pavilion and modernkitchens of today?

What would it have been like to work in the GreatKitchen? What sort of tasks would servants in the GreatKitchen have performed?

Why was gas lighting not used inside the RoyalPavilion?

What new piece of equipment would you design for the Royal Pavilion? You are not allowed to use electricityor gas!


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The preparation and consumption of food were key activitiesin the social life of the Royal Pavilion, and around a quarter ofthe space available was allocated to the Great Kitchen and therange of ancillary kitchens. Many elaborate banquets wereheld in the Pavilion. In 1816–17 the Prince Regent secured theservices of the renowned French chef Marie-Antoine Carêmewho devised elaborate menus with as many as 60 dishes. Onone occasion he prepared a menu of 116 dishes served in 36courses for the brother of the Tsar, Alexander the First ofRussia. Dinner was served promptly at 6pm. Dinner guestsassembled in the galleries, where the Prince would join them.On the announcement of dinner he would lead the way intothe Banqueting Room accompanied by the highest rankingwomen. George IV was instrumental in introducing the newfashion of ‘promiscuous seating’ which enabled him to sitclose to the ladies of his choice. Rather than sitting at thehead of the table, as tradition dictated, George IV preferred amore informal seating arrangement where he sat among hisguests. Dinner could be a lengthy affair, lasting up to fivehours. If the King had 36 guests for dinner there would be aminimum of 18 footmen assisting the guests.

Dining à la française, was the norm, but dining à la russe, wasbecoming fashionable around this time. A la française meantall the food for each course was displayed on the table at thesame time. The presentation of the food was very important.Guests would either serve themselves or be assisted. A larusse meant that each dish was served to the guest. Eachcourse was accompanied by either cool white wine orchampagne. Red wine at the time was considered indigestibleat meals. George IV’s favourite drink was cherry brandy.

Dining andEntertainment in theRoyal Pavilion

The Banqueting Room fromNash’s Views. The Prince can beseen seated on the right in themiddle surrounded by hisguests


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Dinner was followed by conversation, games or musicalentertainment, which lasted until the early hours of themorning. Music was George IV’s other great passion and,appropriately, the Music Room is just as grand as theBanqueting Room. In this extraordinary interior, the King’sown band entertained guests with selections from Handel orItalian opera. The band usually played between 9 o’clock andmidnight, and were kept in Brighton on a retainer salary.Famously, the Italian composer Rossini visited the Pavilion in1823 and performed for the King. Rossini later met the Kingseveral times in London, where they sang duets together.George IV enjoyed singing and would often contribute to anevening’s entertainment with popular airs, accompanyinghimself on the pianoforte.

The Prince Regent’s interest in the arts extended to thetheatre, and in 1806, he gave his royal assent to the buildingof the Theatre Royal on New Road, to the west of the Paviliongrounds. The Theatre Royal in its original form was built in anunprecedented ten months and first opened its doors to thepublic on Saturday, 27 June 1807 with a performance ofHamlet. The first 50 years of the Theatre Royal were uncertaindue to the part-time patronage of fashionable society who only visited Brighton during the winter season. As a result, no manager lasted longer than 18 months. The glory days ofthe Theatre Royal would arrive with the railways in theVictorian era.

The Music Room from Nash’sViews, with a concert inprogress

Exterior of The Theatre Royal

Activities and Ideas How does Regency dining and entertainment differ

from the way we live today? Are there any similarities?

Design a dish fit for a King. Think about presentationand the kinds of food that were available in Regencytimes.

Why was French cuisine considered fashionable inRegency times?


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The people of Brighton eagerly waited for George IV’s visits,which raised the profile of the town. Newspapers such as theSussex Weekly Advertiser and the Brighton Gazette wouldreport on the activities of the Prince, his state of health andwho visited the Pavilion. By 1800 it had become, according tothe Brighton Directory, ‘the most frequented [and] withoutexception one of the most fashionable towns in the Kingdom’.The Prince’s presence in Brighton, and the fashionablesociety that followed him, brought considerable prosperity forthose with direct contact with the monarch and those on theoutskirts, although it should also be remembered that thePrince was notoriously bad at paying his bills promptly.

George IV paid his staff quite well by the standards of the day.On retirement, the pension given to staff was generous andsometimes equivalent to the salary for the post. A list ofproposed pensions submitted to the Treasury in 1837suggested an annual pension of £50 to a housemaid who,after 25 years’ service, could no longer undertake her dutiesowing to ill-health and infirmity. Similarly, other serviceindustries benefited from the King’s residency in Brighton. Anaccount from the Public Record Office shows that in the firstthree months of 1821, Mary Rowles, the local laundress,washed over 2,500 dusters for the Pavilion.

At the beginning of the 18th century the town’s shops hadmainly catered for the fishing professions, but, from the late18th century onwards, London based retailers started toarrive. Shops such as silver and goldsmiths, linen drapers andtailors emerged and, by 1800, 50–60 shops could be found onNorth Street. Some of the shops had royal patronage. ThomasNightingale was a glover and breeches maker and would evenclean the Prince’s hunting breeches. The sign outside hisshop consisted of a huge stuffed leather glove. The presenceof royalty and aristocracy also brought new services to thetown: coffee houses, banks, circulating libraries and theatresemerged around the Steine.

The Impact of the Royal Pavilion onBrighton during George IV’s lifetime

A Voluptuary under the Horrorsof Digestion, by J Gillraycaricaturing George’s love offood and drink


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Holland and Nash’s rebuilding of the Prince’s home and thoseof his wealthy friends provided work for local tradesmen,labourers and craftsmen. Over the next decades elegant townhouses, squares and crescents were constructed reflectingthe affluence and popularity of the town. Some buildingsattempted to imitate the style of the Royal Pavilion, like theWestern Pavilion constructed at the end of the 1820s forAmon Wilds. Wilds was a local architect responsible for manyof the buildings in Brighton.

The explosion of new building dramatically altered thelandscape of Brighton, including the area around the RoyalPavilion itself. When the Prince of Wales first rented ThomasKemp’s farmhouse it had little land attached to it. Over time,more land was acquired, buildings demolished and EastStreet closed, to provide the Pavilion with a private eight acrepark. As a concession to the disruption caused by closingEast Street, the Prince Regent built New Road along thewestern edge of the grounds. The Steine also experienced achange in character, owing to its proximity to the Pavilion.Initially used by local fishermen to dry their nets, it nowbecame a fashionable place to be seen and to promenadeupon.

Brighton in the Regency byAnna Katrina Zinkeisen, 1939

In this image, fashionablesociety can be seenpromenading on the Steine,(Pavilion at Brighton, 1829)


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One of the reasons that people kept coming to Brighton wasits continuing reputation as a health resort. It was the mainreason the Prince had first visited Brighton in 1783. A notablefigure in the development of Brighton’s bathing industry wasSake Deen Mahomed, who moved from India to Britain in1810 and opened the first Indian restaurant in London, theHindustanee Coffee House. Unfortunately it was not asuccess and, bankrupt, Sake Deen Mahomed moved toBrighton in 1814, where he established a vapour bathhouseon the site that is now the Queen’s Hotel. Sake DeenMahomed called himself a ‘shampooing surgeon’ and offeredhis clients a massage with Indian oils (similar to anaromatherapy massage). He received a royal warrant for hisbaths from George IV and supplied the Pavilion with towelsand brushes. He also installed a vapour bath for the King inthe Royal Pavilion. Having patronage from the King assistedSake Deen Mahomed in gaining a reputation in Brighton andattracting an important clientele that ensured prosperity notonly for himself, but for others involved in the bathingindustry.

Activities and Ideas ‘The King is to this town what the sun is to our

hemisphere – universal cheerfulness is presented whenthe rays of Royalty sparkle upon the picture of our localsociabilities and interest.’ Sussex Weekly Advertiser,April 1820. Why does this quotation make such a stronglink between George IV and Brighton?

What evidence of Regency Brighton can you see inBrighton & Hove today?

Why do you think Brighton was often referred to as‘Piccadilly by the Seaside’?

In what ways did George IV introduce different culturalinfluences to Brighton?

Mahomed’s Baths


Sake Deen Mahomed

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Queen Victoria first visited the Royal Pavilion in 1837. Herinitial reaction was cool: ‘The Pavilion is a strange, odd,Chinese looking place, both outside and inside. Most of therooms are low, and I can see a morsel of the sea, from one ofmy sitting room windows’. She visited the Pavilion again in1838 and 1842 before finally resolving to sell the Pavilion in thelate 1840s. Her decision to sell was based on various factors.The Pavilion was never designed to be a family home andVictoria recognised that she would struggle to accommodateher growing family in the limited private apartments. Theproximity of the Pavilion and its grounds to the centre of townand its increasing population also meant that it lacked theprivacy and isolation the Queen desired (and found atOsborne House, her preferred holiday retreat). Finally, theextravagance embodied in the Royal Pavilion was at odds withthe more reserved character of Victoria’s reign and it mayhave been a politically astute move for Victoria to distanceherself from her self-indulgent uncle’s taste and lifestyle.

When the possibility of buying the Royal Pavilion from QueenVictoria was raised, leading figures in the town recognised theimportance of the building not only to the town’s history butalso to its economy. The building was purchased by the townof Brighton in 1850 for £53,000 and remains to this day theonly royal palace not owned by the state or the Crown.However, any celebrations at securing the Pavilion weresomewhat dampened by the fact that the building wasvirtually empty. Prior to purchase, the interior was stripped ofvirtually all furniture and fixtures, including wallpapers,decorative features and chimneypieces, though many originalitems were subsequently returned by Queen Victoria andsuccessive monarchs.

The Royal Pavilion inVictorian Times

Queen Victoria

In this image, the Long Galleryis stripped of many of itsoriginal features, includingornaments and furniture


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The new ownership of the Pavilion and its grounds marked achange in status, from a place of decadent exclusivity to apopular centre for wider society to enjoy. During this periodthe Pavilion was frequently used for social or civic events suchas fetes, bazaars, baby shows, exhibitions, charity balls andconferences. Other buildings within the Pavilion grounds werealso developed for wider usage. The Riding House wastransformed in 1868 into a venue for the weekly corn market.The Royal Stables (now the Dome) were reconstructed as aconcert hall in 1867, and although originally housed in thePavilion, a museum, art gallery and library were built next tothe Dome in 1873, on a site originally intended to be used as atennis court.

Activities and Ideas Why did Victoria remove so many fittings and furniture

from the Royal Pavilion? Why did she return them?

How do you think Victoria’s withdrawal from Brightonwas viewed by local businesses?

Why did leading figures in Brighton think the Pavilionwas important to the town’s economy?

What would have happened to Brighton’s image if theRoyal Pavilion had been demolished?

The Royal Stables weretransformed into a concert hallin 1867


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The Victorian period saw the expansion of Brighton from afashionable town providing amusements to the elite few to abusy popular seaside resort that accommodated both veryrich and very poor people. In this period, the population grewfrom 7,000 in 1801 to 46,661 in 1841, and was an incredible120,000 by 1901. The development of the railways played amajor part in this transformation.

The arrival of the railway in 1841 brought Brighton within easyreach of day-trippers from London. Before the opening of therailway, any Londoner wanting to travel to Brighton wouldhave had to pay over £1 for an uncomfortable six hourstagecoach journey. The new railway offered London-to-Brighton return trips, taking two hours each way, forapproximately 15 pence. By 1860, Brighton was receiving250,000 visitors a year by train (little wonder that QueenVictoria felt Brighton could not provide the isolation shecraved).

The growth in population brought about by the railways hadan impact on the geography of Brighton. Rows of terracedhouses appeared to accommodate the town’s growingpopulation. A wide-reaching programme of public works wasundertaken to sustain the new population. Civic worksincluded the construction of a vast sewer system to improvesanitation and a public transport system of trains and trams.The railway network itself dramatically changed the landscapeof the town. Giant viaducts stretched over the town’s streetsand the locomotive works, now the New England quarter,brought heavy industry into the centre of the town.

Bathing and seaside holidays continued to attract holiday-makers, and amenities were developed to meet the increasingdemand for tourist attractions. These included pleasuregrounds and parks, music halls, an aquarium, two piers and,by 1850, over 500 places where you could drink alcohol. Thetourist boom also resulted in the development of new hotelsand lodging houses for upper and middle class holiday-makers who came for week-long holidays, unlike the day-trippers from London. Hotels such as the Grand and theMetropole became symbols of opulent grandeur and set amodel for hotels elsewhere.

The Development ofVictorian Brighton

Crowds of passengers arrivingfrom London by train for a daytrip to Brighton

Brighton railway yard andlocomotive shed

Crowds on the beach, 1890


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Cast iron became a fashionable building material in Victoriantimes, and structures such as the West Pier and Palace Piergave Brighton’s seafront its distinct Victorian character. For along time, the seafront had benefited from three piers. TheChain Pier had been built in 1823 as a landing stage to helppassengers disembark from larger ships with ease. The Chain Pier, was different from typical piers because, ratherthan being built on stilts, the deck of the pier was suspendedfrom chains attached to pillars. The pier was destroyed in astorm in 1896 but, prior to this, had become a popularpromenade for Victorians who enjoyed the sensation ofwalking out over water.

Brighton seafront and its holiday-makers also benefited fromthe unusual invention created by inventor and engineerMagnus Volk. The electric railway that Volk invented in 1883still runs along the seafront today. It was the world's firstpublicly operated electic railway when it opened, and wasquite a revolutionary idea. At that time, parts of the trackactually ran on stilts on the beach, ten to 20 feet up. In 1896,Volk proposed extending his Volks Electric Railway toRottingdean. The railway took passengers further out to sea,some 50 metres offshore, operating on stilts. It wasnicknamed the Daddy Longlegs at a fairly early stage, becauseof its strange appearance.

Activities and Ideas What impact did the railways have on the development

of Brighton?

How did Brighton’s reputation as a seaside townchange in the Victorian era?

What evidence of Victorian Brighton can you find inBrighton & Hove today?

To what extent could Victorian Brighton be described asa place of invention?

Chain Pier


Volk’s Sea Going Car at Low Tide

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During the First World War, the Royal Pavilion complex wasused as a military hospital for wounded soldiers. Between1914 and 1916 over 4,000 Indian patients passed through thehospital. Substantial alterations were required for thispurpose. In addition to the operating theatres, nine kitchens ofthree different types were established: one for meat-eatingHindus; one for Muslims and one for vegetarians. Although itmay be viewed as a naïve or simplistic choice today, at thetime the decision to care for wounded Indian soldiers in theoriental splendour of the Royal Pavilion would have seemedappropriate and fitting.

The contribution made by Indian soldiers and their link withBrighton is commemorated by two memorials. The first is theIndian Gate on the southern side of the Pavilion’s entrance.The gateway was the gift of the people of India and wasunveiled by His Highness the Maharaja of Patiala in 1921. Thesecond monument, know as the Chattri, was erected on theDowns outside Brighton. It was unveiled by the Prince ofWales in 1921. The memorial was built on the exact spotwhere the bodies of Indian soldiers had been cremated.

The Impact of the Royal Pavilion on thedevelopment of modernBrighton

The Banqueting Room of theRoyal Pavilion as a hospitalward for Indian soldiers in 1915

Unveiling the Chattri, 1921

Activities and Ideas What would an Indian soldier have thought of the Royal

Pavilion? Would it have reminded him of India?

Why is it important to remember those who lost theirlives fighting in the First World War?

What can we learn about international relations andempire through the Indian soldiers at the RoyalPavilion?


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The painstaking task of restoring the interior of the RoyalPavilion to its former decorative splendour was begun inearnest in the late 1940s. The aim has always been to restorethe Royal Pavilion to how it looked in the 1820s during GeorgeIV’s reign. The programme of restoration has revived many ofthe skills and crafts which were employed in the originalbuilding of the Royal Pavilion.

The problems encountered by the restoration teams havebeen numerous. They include:•� water penetration; the Royal Pavilion began to leak soon

after it was completed• wet and dry rot. At one period, the roofs of both the Music

and Banqueting Rooms were in danger of collapsing owingto the rotting laminated beam ends which supported thecharacteristic tented roofs.

�• cracked stonework caused by dampness, the saltyatmosphere and traffic pollution.

Restoration suffered further setbacks in the form of an arsonattack in 1975. The attack severely damaged the Music Roomand it took 11 years to repair the damage. The same roomsuffered further damage in the great storm of October1987,when a stone ball crashed through the roof, undoing much ofthe recently completed restoration work from the earlier arsonattack.

The restoration of the Pavilion has relied upon giftedvisionaries and generous individuals, who, by theirenthusiasm, have been able to keep the Pavilion in the publiceye, saving it from demolition on more than one occasion.These individuals have included curators, conservators andmembers of the council. Equally important has been thesupport of the various monarchs since George IV, who havereturned many of the Pavilion’s original fittings andfurnishings.

Activities and Ideas What is the value of restoring a building such as the

Royal Pavilion?

How can buildings such as the Royal Pavilion generatetheir own income? Plan a one-off special event to raisemoney for the Pavilion.

How important are historic buildings to the touristindustry?

The Pavilion shrouded inscaffolding


A conservator restoring the covein the Music Room following thefire in 1975

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The Royal Pavilion is the only royal palace to be owned by acity. As Brighton & Hove City Council’s financial commitmentsto the community encompass a wide range of services, theRoyal Pavilion has to supplement the budget allocated for it bythe council. Apart from charging admission, the Pavilion isable to secure funds through grant-awarding bodies andsometimes through sponsorship from local business for one-off events. Approximately 100 people work in the RoyalPavilion today, a figure that corresponds to the number ofservants that George IV used to employ in the Pavilion. TheRoyal Pavilion is an important tourist attraction enjoyed byaround 300,000 visitors per year. 41–45 per cent of visitors tothe Pavilion say it is their main reason for visiting Brighton &Hove. Therefore the building is crucial to the tourist industryin the city, and there are many ways in which the influence ofthe Royal Pavilion can be felt in the modern day character ofBrighton & Hove.

The city continues to attract thousands of holiday-makers andday-trippers each year, although the trend for short-breakholidays is stronger than the family holiday market these days.Part of the city’s seaside appeal for visitors remains itsreputation as a party town. Just as the Prince Regent enjoyedthe freedom and pleasures that Brighton offered him awayfrom the confines of court, so too do many visitors to Brighton& Hove. The city’s many nightclubs attract large numbers, alllooking for escapism and fun.

The Royal Pavilion is the centrepiece of the cultural quarter inBrighton & Hove, which also includes Brighton Museum & ArtGallery, the Dome complex and Theatre Royal Brighton. TheBrighton Festival is now the second largest arts festival inEurope and once again reinforces Brighton’s image as a citywith a vibrant cultural arts scene. During the festival, houses,pubs, clubs and churches are transformed into galleries,theatres and concert halls hosting a diverse range of artisticevents. Many parallels can be found between Brighton & Hoveduring the festival and the heady atmosphere that surroundedthe Royal Pavilion during the Regency period.

Ever since the Prince Regent patronised Brighton, the city hasbecome synonymous with rebellion and embracing alternativelifestyles. Often referred to as "the gay capital of Britain",Brighton has a substantial gay population and is host to Prideevery August, which attracts thousands of participants andspectators. The Royal Pavilion represented a rebellion in termsof courtly style and behaviour, and this spirit has continuedthroughout the 20th and 21st century. In keeping with thetrend for a bank holiday day trip to Brighton, begun inVictorian times, Brighton beach was the location for theinfamous clashes between Mods and Rockers in 1964, which

George and the Dragon carnivalcostume. Made by Jane Hawley,Rose Holt and Sarah Parsonsfor the May Childrens’ Parade,2001


Mods and Rockers, Brightonbeach, 1964

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led to widespread panic across the country regarding theincreasing wildness of young people.

The originality evident in the design of the Royal Pavilioncontinues to influence the character of Brighton. Buildingssuch as Jubilee Library, the proposed Brighton i360, and FrankGehry’s King Alfred development, sustain Brighton & Hove’sreputation for innovation and cutting edge design. Equallyforward-thinking is the growth of new industries in Brighton.With the decrease in heavy industry, with the closure of therailway works in the 1950s, there has been a growth inbusinesses involved in digital and new media, resulting in thecity often being referred to as “Silicon Beach”.

The Royal Pavilion transformed the fortunes of Brighton byattracting wealthy visitors and increasing the demand for arange of services. The tourist industry remains a key part ofthe city’s economy, generating £380 million each year.However, aside from specific tourist attractions, visitors to thecity can also enjoy over 2,000 shops, which are mainly locatedin the area between Western Road and the Lanes – areasmade fashionable during the Prince Regent’s time. The cityremains a popular place to live and work attracting a largenumber of businesses and people. In 2001, the city’spopulation was estimated at just under 250,000.

The Royal Pavilion has become an iconic symbol for the city ofBrighton & Hove that is recognised by the city’s inhabitantsand visitors alike. More than any other image, it epitomisesthe spirit of Brighton, symbolising fun, originality, innovationand a healthy disregard for convention. Without the RoyalPavilion, Brighton would be similar to Worthing or BognorRegis, or any other seaside town. It is the continuing influenceof the Royal Pavilion that gives Brighton & Hove its unique andmagical quality.

Activities and Ideas What is the same and what is different about seaside

holidays in Brighton now and then?

What would George IV think of contemporary Brighton?

What qualities associated with the city were initiated byGeorge IV?

What changes has Brighton & Hove experienced sincethe building of the Royal Pavilion? How has it stayedthe same?


Jubilee Library, photo byNicholas Sinclair

The Royal Pavilion

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This section of ‘Discover the Royal Pavilion’ providessuggested activities for students to undertake before, duringand after a visit to the Royal Pavilion. They are designed tosupport learning across the curriculum and can be adaptedfor all Key Stages. Additional ideas and discussion questionscan be found throughout the resource.

As the Royal Pavilion is a precious and relatively small palace,the following points should be taken into account whendeciding what activities to carry out during a visit to the Royal Pavilion: • school parties must follow the circulation route to avoid

congestion• drawing is only permitted in certain areas with prior

permission.Bearing these points in mind, certain approaches may bemore suitable than others. Questions which encourage closeobservation, and tasks in which children have to make a fewwritten or mental notes may be most suitable.

Suggested Activities

Greater Brighton CelebrationsWeek Programme


Design and Technology• design an additional decadent room for the Royal Pavilion, which conforms to Regency

technology and materials and meets the requirements of King George IV’s lifestyle • design and make a hat inspired by the Pavilion• investigate equipment used for cooking food and explain how it works• talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the structure of the building

Creative Writing• choose a specific theme room in the Royal Pavilion and design a guidebook for it.

Think about audience, content, layout and images• devise and perform a scene ‘At the Banquet’ or ‘In Preparation for the Banquet’

Science• investigate the effects of the weather on the building• find out how ice was obtained and stored in large houses before the invention of

electricity, and experiment with preventing ice from melting• explore how food was preserved and cooked, and compare these methods with those of

today• investigate different ways of producing heat and light in the past and present• record the plants growing in the gardens, and find out about their origin and suitability to

our soil and climate

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Art and Design• use a visit to the Royal Pavilion as research to create a souvenir that captures the spirit

and image of Brighton• design a poster to attract people to come to Brighton. Students could focus on the

Regency or Victorian period, or design a contemporary advertisement• make a card print based on detailed drawings of the windows at the Royal Pavilion• look at the trompe l’oeil painting and experiment with the technique• make a clay relief of part of the Pavilion from observational drawings• look at and discuss cartoons by Gillray and Cruikshank on display in the Royal Pavilion• design and make a piece of sculpture for the gardens

Geography • look for evidence of other countries (food, furnishings, fabrics, architecture) and plot

them on a world map• use the Royal Pavilion as a stimulus for finding out about other parts of the world

Music• create a piece of music in response to one of the rooms• listen to examples of music from the 18th century in contrast to some Chinese music

PE• create a piece of dance inspired by the chinoiserie style of the Royal Pavilion• investigate dance from different cultures represented in the Royal Pavilion, including

Chinese, Indian and Regency styles

History• what does the Royal Pavilion tell us about the character of George IV?• in each room look for evidence of what the rooms were used for• find out about different ways of lighting before the invention of electricity• look at the satirical cartoons of George IV on display in the Royal Pavilion and talk about

their usefulness as evidence• find out about Regency pastimes, learn a game/song/dance

Primary SourcesThis section also includes some primary resources to explore the Royal Pavilion and itsimpact on the development of Brighton and Hove:• The ground floor plan, taken from Nash’s Views, can help students understand how the

Pavilion functioned as a royal palace. Students can use the plan to identify the staterooms, the private King’s Apartments and servants’ quarters, and see how these differentareas were interlinked.

• The two maps of Brighton, dated 1779 and 1850, can provide students with visualevidence of the extent to which Brighton developed as a result of the presence of theRoyal Pavilion and influence of George IV. The maps can be used individually to providehistorical context, or together to compare and contrast pre- and post-Pavilion Brighton.

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State Apartments1 Porte Cochère2 Octagon Hall3 Entrance Hall4 Long Gallery5 Banqueting Room6 Banqueting Room Gallery7 Saloon8 Music Room Gallery9 Music Room10 Red Drawing Room

Private Apartmentsa His Majesty’s Bedroomb Ante Roomc Dressing Roomd Bathe Librariesf Ante Roomg Private Secretary’s

Apartmentsh Visitors’ Apartments

Officesi Corridork Page’s Rooml Great Kitchenm Lardersn Kitchen for the Householdo Steaming Kitchenp Pastry Roomsq Tower for Water Reservoirr Pages’ Dining Rooms Confectionaryt House Keeperu Open Court

Primary Source: Ground Floor Plan ofthe Royal Pavilion

Ground plan from Nash’s Views showing the layout of the ground floor during the Royal occupancy. Most ofthe offices to the south and west of the Great Kitchen were demolished in the second half of the 19th century


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Primary Source: Map ofBrighthelmstone, 1779


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Primary Source: Map ofBrighton, 1850


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Entry to the Royal Pavilion is free for Brighton & Hove schools,other schools are charged.

All schools are charged for a tour.


Schools at the Royal Pavilion

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General Tour1 hourKey Stage 3+Find out more about the history of this fantastic building andwhy it was so important to the development of the town.

General Tour for Schools 1 hourKey Stage 1 and 2Find out more about who lived here, the stunning design ofthe building and why it was so important to the developmentof the town.

Her Majesty's Servants – Victorian Costumed Tour 1.5 hoursKey Stage 2Come in role on your first day as a Victorian servant and meetone of Queen Victoria’s servants as they show you around thepalace and talk you through your daily duties.

Leisure and Tourism Tour of the Royal Pavilion 1.5 hoursKey Stage 3+Focus on the role of the Royal Pavilion as one of the country’smajor tourist attractions.

The Royal Pavilion and India1 hourKey Stage 2 and 3Look closely at the Royal Pavilion's exotic architecture, theIndian buildings that inspired it, and its use as a hospital forIndian soldiers during World War I.

How do we know about History? 1 hourKey Stage 2 and 3 What is primary and secondary evidence? What is fact oropinion? And how do we build a picture of the past?


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India 1 hourAll Key StagesExplore Indian cultures, focusing on cooking, clothing and aHindu wedding ceremony.

Local History Talk and Walk with Martha Gunn 1.5 hoursAll Key Stages Go for a walk around central Brighton and the North Lainewith your costumed guide and learn how Brighton evolvedfrom a fishing town into a seaside resort and a modern-daycity.


For more information about the Royal Pavilion visit www.royalpavilion.org.uk

For more information about our learning offer visit www.heritagelearningbrighton.org.ukContact Heritage Learning 03000 [email protected]

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