Old Map of Brighton in 1851 by J. Tallis - Old Steine, Kemptown, Hove

This detailed map of Brighton was published in 1851 by J. Tallis & Co, with the fine engraving work carried out by John Rapkin, capturing the seaside town at the height of its Victorian popularity. By this date Brighton had grown well beyond its origins as a small fishing village, and the map shows the grand streets and squares that had grown up around the Royal Pavilion, along with the sweeping curve of the Old Steine and the fashionable terraces of Marine Parade.

To the east of the town centre, the map traces the newly developing suburb of Kemptown, built up through the early Victorian period as one of Brighton's most sought-after addresses, while to the west the map reaches toward the neighbouring town of Hove. The Chain Pier, at that time the town's only pier and a favourite spot for promenading, appears along the seafront, and the narrow, historic streets of The Lanes are visible near the old fishing quarter. Further inland, the map extends toward the village of Preston, still a separate settlement on the edge of the growing town in 1851.

Full of period detail, this map of Brighton suits a hallway, living room or seaside home, and makes a wonderful gift for anyone who loves this stretch of the Sussex coast. It's a natural choice for a birthday or Christmas present, a housewarming gift for someone moving to Kemptown or Hove, a work leaving gift for a colleague relocating to the coast, or an anniversary gift for a couple who got engaged on the seafront. It brings a real sense of Brighton's Victorian heyday into any room.