ROYAL PAVILION, BRIGHTON

It is hardly surprising that the Royal Pavilion appears on the international tourist circuit. The exterior is extravagant, being one of the very few ‘oriental’ style buildings to emerge from the picturesque movement of the Regency period. Not even this however prepares one for the fantasy of its interior, breathtaking in its style and the delicacy and intrigue of its execution. Much of the beauty which is now revealed has been the result of a seemingly endless process of restoration.

Before I describe the elements of the restoration, it is unfortunately necessary to return to your desks for a short local history lesson.

Brighton was little more than a fishing village before the Prince of Wales first visited in 1783 aged 21. Seawater bathing and drinking, whose benefits were publicised by Dr Russell of Lewes, had created this first seaside resort. Ballrooms, gaming houses, libraries and comfortable houses to rent followed. It was one such superior farmhouse taken in 1786 by the young prince which became Brighton Pavilion.

My copy of The VeryBloodyHi story of Britain (without the boring bits) describes him thus: “The Prince Regent had been a right trial to his poor mum and dad all his life. He was a gambler, spendthrift, womaniser and incredible drinker. ‘Drunk as a Lord’ is an expression directly attributable to our George His extravagance was unequalled even though he was supposed to make do on what would now be £2,000,000 a year. He built the rather gross Buckingham Palace as a little London pad, and the totally over the

top (and brill) Brighton Pavilion for somewhere different to go at weekends.”

Thirty-five years of constant alteration changed the then chic pastoral farmhouse into a royal pleasure palace. The development can be summarised as follows:

1786 Prince of Wales rents “Brighton House”, 1787 The house enlarged by Henry Holland, an architect influenced by Robert Adam. Addition of circular saloon behind a screen of columns and a further wing to balance the original house. This symmetrical composition is still here, clothed now by Nash’s later fantasy. The bow windows and iron balconies became fashionable Regency features;

1795 Married Caroline of Brunswick (an

instant disaster);

1801—3 The interiors decorated in a fanciful Chinese style by the firm of Crace.

Further extensions made to building; 1803 William Porden designed new stables in Indian style behind the Pavilion — now The Dome concert hall;

1811 Became Prince Regent although little interested in affairs of state;

1812 James Wyatt, Crown Surveyor, commissioned to enlarge pavilion unfortunately killed in accident in 1813; 1815 John Nash engaged to transform and extend the Royal Pavilion in a style based on Indian architecture. Nash was aware that not only was the Prince Regent likely to change his mind at short notice but also that he was unlikely to have the funds to translate his requirement into reality; thus on taking over Wyatt’s proposal he con-

centrated on satisfying his client’s whim rather than on the building’s longevity. The first hint the outside world had of what was to come was the emergence in 1817 of the tent-like roofs of the banqueting and music rooms in place of the angled wings;

1820 Became George IV (crowned 1821);

1822 Present exterior completed in stucco and Bath stone;

1823 Interior completed — a joint effort of George IV, Nash, Frederick Crace and Robert Jones.

George did not visit Brighton again after 1823 although work continued until 1826. The building remained in the ownership of the Crown being both used and adapted to the wishes of William IV and the young Queen Victoria (who found it too public and not to her taste, and sold itto the town of Brighton in 1850 after virtually stripping the interior and threatening demolition). Although used as public meeting rooms, it seems to have received little maintenance and narrowly avoided a second serious proposal to demolish it in 1935 Only since 1946 has the interior been restored, and the exterior followed in 1982.

RESTORATION

Some of the large minarets had been replaced in glass fibre when their stone was found to be in an advanced state of decay. These were replaced between 1968 and 1972. In 1977 eight of the small minarets had to be dismantled because they, too, were in poor condition (there are ten large and 16 small minarets).

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