Regency Town House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Regency Town House |
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The old kitchen at 10 Brunswick Square. It is part of The Regency Town House at 13 Brunswick Square. The kitchen is virtually untouched by time.
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Townhouse |
| Architectural style | Regency |
| Location | Brunswick Square, Brunswick, an area of Hove in Brighton & Hove, East Sussex, England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 50°49′28″N 0°09′30″W / 50.8245°N 0.1583°W |
| Completed | 1820 |
| Owner | Nick Tyson |
| Designations | Grade I listed |
| Renovating team | |
| Other designers | Nick Tyson |
The Regency Town House is a special historic house in Hove, England. It is located at 13 Brunswick Square, close to the beach. This house was built in the 1820s. It was designed in the Regency style by Charles Augustin Busby.
Today, the Regency Town House is a Grade I listed building. This means it is very important and protected. A team led by Nick Tyson is working to restore it. They want to turn it into a museum and a place to learn about history.
Contents
Exploring a Historic Home
The Regency Town House has many rooms, each with a purpose. On the ground floor, you would find the dining room and a sitting room called a parlour. A small set of stairs leads to a half-landing. Here, there was a waiting room and a toilet.
Grand Spaces for Parties
The first floor held the drawing rooms. These were the most important rooms for entertaining guests. They had folding doors. This meant they could be used as two separate rooms. Or, they could open up into one big space for parties. The floors above had bedrooms. Today, these rooms are used as offices for the restoration project.
Life in the Basement
The basement was where the servants worked. They had their own entrance from the street. There was also access from the back, near the stables. A special part of the project is at 10 Brunswick Square. This is the only basement in the area that is still complete. It shows us what life was like for servants.
You can walk down the stairs from the street into the basement. It has a stone floor. Under the street, there was a coal cellar. This is where coal was kept for the fireplaces upstairs. Next to it was a beer cellar. The housekeeper's room was nearby. Then came the wine cellar. It had strong double doors, one even lined with iron. This was to stop servants from stealing wine.
The servant's hall was a large room. This house would have had 8 to 12 servants. The room looked out onto a small courtyard. Across the courtyard was the kitchen. It had a big skylight to let in light. People say its design was inspired by the famous kitchen at the Brighton Pavilion.
Bringing the House Back to Life
Nick Tyson, the owner, decided to restore the house in 1984. He first bought the basement flat. Over time, he bought the other flats as they became available. His goal is to restore the house as it was in the 1820s. He wants every detail to be perfect. Once finished, it will open to the public. This will show off the amazing craftsmanship of the past.
The Start of the Project
Nick Tyson started the Town House project in the 1980s. He noticed that many historic buildings in Brighton were being changed without care. This worried him. He and his partner bought the basement flat at 13 Brunswick Square. They planned to restore it. But then, other flats in the building became available. Tyson saw a chance to put the whole house back together. It had been divided into flats, but now it is a complete house again.
Finding Missing Pieces
In 1992, a group called the Brunswick Town Charitable Trust asked for help. They needed to find old fireplaces and a ceiling rose for the dining room. They hoped artists could copy these original pieces. The plan was to photograph old designs. Then, they would recreate them for the Town House.
Careful Restoration Work
The restoration uses old techniques and materials. Volunteers help bring the Town House back to its original beauty. It is a slow process. Every tour and event helps raise money for more restoration work.
Experts have removed old paint layers. They have also repaired the decorative plasterwork. A paint expert studied the original paint colors. This information will help recreate the decorations in other parts of the house. The project wants visitors to see the rooms as they looked when the house was first lived in.
To help with funding, they hold events like "Dine Like a Servant." The townhouses also host art shows. In 2018, artist Suzanne O‘Haire had an exhibition there.
How the Project is Funded
On December 17, 2020, The Regency Town House received a grant from the Art Fund. This was a big help for the project.
Councillor Mac Cafferty spoke about the grant. He said it was a tribute to the volunteers and Nick Tyson. He noted that the funding was very important. It helped the house during the Covid crisis. He also said the Town House helps us understand the city's history. It is also a special place for art.
Gallery
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Main staircase. This staircase goes all the way to the top of the house. It has iron railings, which were common in Regency homes in Brighton.
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The basement of 10 Brunswick Square. This is the only complete basement left in Brunswick Square.
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The exterior of 13 Brunswick Square. The old glass was thin, so storm shutters protected it from strong winds and flying stones.
