Brighton and Baliffscourt Photographs

Photographs of Brighton Town and Baliffscourt Hotel with cottages in the vicinity.

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Climping Beach in winter - 200 yards walk from Baliffscourt Hotel

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Brighton town

Wandering around 'The Lanes' (a maze of narrow streets and alleyways just off the seafront) you can easily imagine the small fishing community of Brighthelmstone, with shadowy figures ducking down the narrow 'twittens' and sheltering from the strong winds, possibly engaged in a little smuggling! Turn the corner and you will find elegant, graceful buildings redolent of the silk and ruffles of the Regency dandy.

Brighton began as a small fishing village constantly at the mercy of French raiders and the sea. After a great storm in 1724 many of the houses were washed away and the townspeople were granted a "Brief', to beg for money all over England to raise banks against the sea.

The town's transformation from a small fishing and farming village began when it was 'discovered' in 1750 by Dr Richard Russell who proclaimed the therapeutic benefits of his amazing sea-water cure. Almost overnight it became the fashionable watering hole of London High Society.

When George, Prince of Wales - later to become Prince Regent and then George IV - decided to make his home here, Brighton's popularity soared. The town underwent an amazing transformation.

Local people made money by providing bathing machines which carried the bathers into the sea and bathing attendants known as 'dippers' stood by - ready to duck reluctant bathers. One of the most famous of these, Martha Gunn, is buried in St Nicholas churchyard.

Although well-known for its connection with the Prince Regent, the first recorded Royal visitor was Charles II. After his escape from the Battle of Worcester in 1651, he hid from the Roundheads disguised as a servant. He stayed in the George Inn in West Street (later renamed the Kings Head) and escaped to France by boat, now celebrated every May with a race from Brighton to France, appropriately named the Royal Escape.The Prince of Wales liked Brighton so much that he decided to move here. At first his cook rented a small farmhouse for him, which he eventually bought and improved. Over a period of years it grew from a modest classical building to the magnificent oriental palace we see today.

The Prince had flamboyant tastes and scant regard for economy and budgeting. The first changes were made in 1787 when Henry Holland was engaged to enlarge and refurbish the humble farmhouse. With the addition of a domed rotunda and a new wing it became known as the 'Marine Pavilion'. Further alterations were made in 1801 with the addition of a new entrance, conservatory etc. At the same time Frederick Crace introduced the Chinese theme into the interior. Extract from Tourist and Publicity site

Brighton Beach	Brighton Pier		The Royal Pavilion	Architecture	Brighton Town

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Click here for online map of Climping (Location of Baliffscourt)

Bailiffscourt Hotel and Health Spa is one of a small number of privately owned hotels operating throughout the United Kingdom under the flag Pride of Britain Hotels. Originally built as a holiday home by Walter Guiness and his wife (Subsequently Lord and Lady Moyne) of the brewing family construction commenced in 1927and was completed in 1933.

Using the architectural skills of Amyas Phillips with Lady Moyne as the driving force Phillips was set to work on Baliffscourt to create a new medieval building using many twelfth and thirteenth century stones sourced from the old Georgian farmhouse that was demolished on the seven hundred and fifty acres owned by the Moynes. Architect Phillips searched far and wide to find the right type of golden Somerset sandstone, doors, and beams needed to realise his idea, even moving whole buildings where necessary.

The main fifteenth century oak door came from South Wanborough Church, the entrance archway from Holditch Priory and a two-light oak window on the front of the house from a derelict building near Muchelney Abby. A fifteenth century gatehouse came from Loxwood and was erected near a seventeenth century half-timbered house brought from Old Basing in Hampshire.

The plans refer to the separate building to the north of the man house and linked to it by an underground tunnel as the Guest House.

Lady Moyne spent a great deal of thought and effort on the interior of her property, furnishing the main rooms with genuine antiques and rich tapestries. The bedrooms became hosts to ‘manufactured antiques’ with dressers and tables made from bits and pieces of old oak. Taking her desire for authenticity a step further she asked Phillips to design two pronged ‘medieval forks’ and pewter plates. The plates were then hammered out by the chauffer in his spare time.

When the building work was finished in 1933 Phillips turned his attention to the landscaping and arranged for two woods to be uprooted from the Downs. Dozens of trees, some twenty-five years old, with their roots encased were transported and planted in the grounds. But their roots never took in the poor soil and they eventually fell over after four decades as their supports rusted through. In 1948 Bailiffscourt became a hotel and continued as a place where guests could find their own little bit of peace and happiness.

Click on thumbnail photograph to go to that photograph in the slide show.

Baliffscourt car Park	Main Entrance	Baliffscourt Administration and accommodation wings with an underground passageway

View to Beach	At night	Our bedroom on the 1st floor

	Climping beach	One of the many peacocks Peacock at night

TOP OF PAGE More Baliffscourt Hotel photographs taken in the winter

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