I love the bandstand. It's a real jewel on the seafront and looking good for 130 years old…read more Lovingly restored just a few years ago it's considered one of the finest examples of Victorian bandstand in the country. This attraction does nothing much but look pretty for most of the year, but it is a hive of activity during peak season. You can see all sort of bands and dancing in the summer and for six months of the year you're allowed to get married on it. It's a unique venue for weddings, including same-sex marriage as of today in England and Wales. Hooray! It's still next to the busy coast road though so keep your eyes fixed on the direction of the sea. Many couples opt to marry elsewhere and take a few choice photos at the landmark for free. It's also lit up at night and good for a reflective moment when the city is quieter. I sometimes pop down there after dark and find others have decided to do the same. But that's ok, I don't mind sharing.

The first time we visited Brighton (and then moved here) we lived just opposite the bandstand. At…read morenight there would be dance classes or live music and the light detail they have put into it is simply beautiful. Granted, unless something else has taken the initiative (such as salsa classes etc) there is not much happening, but it is a landmark, and it makes what is a beautifull town even better.

Southwick is now firmly part of the suburban sprawl running from Brighton and Shoreham, and is…read moreknown to most people for the power station that dominates the far side of Shoreham Harbour. But there was a community here in Saxon times, and its church is surprisingly ancient. In fact, the walk from the station crosses the Green, an attractive and villagey stretch of tree-lined common which splits Southwick into two halves. There are some handsome cottages surrounded by well appointed semi-detached suburban homes, and a rather less appealing row of post-war shops. St Michael and All Angels was, until the 18th century, dedicated to St Margaret, and sits among a very pretty churchyard, thickly studded with trees. Although there was probably a church here in Saxon times, it first recorded in 1086, and in 1206 the right to appoint the rector was granted to the Templars, and then to the Hospitallers, although much of the early mediaeval period was taken up with disputes over these rights with the monks of Sele Priory. The ownership passed from Sele Priory to Magdelene College at the Dissolution, and patronage thereafter passed to the Crown until the 20th century. Fire in the 19th Century damaged the nave and an unexploded bomb (and the subsequent excavation to remove it) damaged the tower in 1941. The church itself is built of flint, and is essentially in three parts: the tower, nave and chancel. The tower is by far the most impressive part: its foundations and lower walls are said to be Saxon, although it mostly dates from the late 12th and 13th centuries. It is an attractive composition, with paired round-headed arches with narrow openings surmounted by paired gothic lancets and, above that, a shingle broach spire. The west door is also attractive, but a modern addition: the tower was carefully taken down and faithfully rebuilt in 1950 after the bomb damage, with vestries built either side. The chancel is mostly 13th century, with two original lancets, framed by a 14th century chancel arch. There are two round headed arches to the south, although the central column probably dates from the Victorian rebuilding. A 14th wooden screen with narrow lancets also survives in the south aisle. The nave burned down in the 1830s and was rebuilt with narrow lean-to aisles in 1834, with round-headed arcades and lancet windows. Pevsner's Buildings of England described the nave as a 'loveless cover for pew-space', which I think is a bit harsh, although there's no doubt it doesn't match the quality of the tower. The furnishings other than the south aisle screen - are limited in interest to what appears to be a mediaeval aumbry, some 18th and 19th century tombs and memorials, and a sturdy, square font, probably from the 13th century. The church is today the centre of large and busy parish, and has a vibrant church life, with services daily through the week.

Clifton Terrace is regarded as one of the most desirable addresses in Brighton, if not the most…read moredesirable. Situated in the Clifton Hill area of Brighton, the Terrace was built in 1847 after the opening of the railway to London, funded by the Barings Bank family and the widow of Thomas Kemp, builder of Kemp Town. The houses are in a single terrace, in the villa style, all in whitewashed stucco. The distinctive ground floor bay windows have deep awnings, some glazed and others covered in lead. The central group of houses has a pair of blind windows with classical pediments, and no awnings. The overall effect is of genteel elegance; homely yet refined. The Terrace is listed at Grade II. The design incorporates Clifton Terrace Gardens opposite - still retained for the sole use of residents - which helps to preserve the stunning sea views from the houses. The gardens were originally the site of Clifton Windmill, removed in 1837. Many of the individual front gardens to the houses are also beautifully kept. This is where I'd love to live - if I could afford to. It's quiet and surprisingly green, yet minutes from the centre of Brighton and around 5 minutes from the sea front. Just perfect. Unfortunately, a house here will set you back about £1 million

A Beautifull place, situated in a tranquil often overlooked part of brighton. back in the 70's I…read moregot well paid to demolish a complete house in clifton hill over a weekend to create a bigger entrance into the yard of an antique dealer so he could get his lorries in, when eventually the house was rebuilt it was twice as big and afforded covered access to the the rear, a win win situation, but back then not to many people worried about preserving or conserving our heritage. luckily the magnificent terrace and its fine gardens remain as a unequalled example of gentile regency brighton.

In all cities there is a hidden side that no tourist will stumble across. Frederick Gardens is a…read moresmall alley by the post office. Its so tucked away that most Brightonians might not know it was there. Walking down this pathway one walks into England of the past. Well, an imagined past anyway. The cottages are cute and bordering on fairytale sweetness. The gardens are well kept and every inch is used to the maximum. Some have names but all have their owners personalities stamped on them. This place is an oasis and takes ones mind of the fact that a bustling road is just at the end of the path. There is a very fashionable pub called the Pond at the other end. Its amazing how this small area feel so relaxed and cuddly! Its well worth a look. Though I bet the residents would prefer privacy.

Don't know what all the fuss is about. Used in the film but it is now a dirty, smelly, alleyway…read morecovered in graffiti.

Cool little place. Very interesting request pinned on door, which made me chuckle, but that's all…read moreI'm gonna say... I'll let you discover it for yourself

The clock tower is probably the central meeting point for a lot of people in Brighton. Meeting…read moresomeone for a coffee? Meet at the clock tower first! Everyone just seems to congregate there. Recently it has become something of a shrine to many members of Brighton's homeless community that have sadly lost their lives in recent months. At any given time there will be candles available to light, and pictures of those who lost their lives. I've been there a few times to chat to the people that hang around there. Some people might be put off but I think sometimes people just want a friendly face to say hello! Next time you're there, don't be afraid and take a closer look at what's going on.

The clock tower is a nice central landmark of the city and adds that little finishing touch to…read morethings you expect a city to have (cough cough, yeah we really 'do' have a cathedral ). It was nice to see the structure get restored to some of it's former glory in the early 2000's and also the random decision to leave a load of fairly lights permanently suspended form the clock tower to the surrounding buildings. When they are turned on during some nights you get the impression of a massive jellyfish in the sky. The mosaic work is good around the column walls of the structure and it's worth taking a brief pause from your journey to have a closer look.

For me, one of the most outstanding sculptures in Brighton..Sussex even. Siutated on the beach near…read moreMiddle Street, it dominates the view across to the old rusting, deteriorating West Pier. It a large, curved abstract sculpture made from cast iron, rising to 5m in height and weighs about 20 tonnes. Beautifully created by Charles Haddock in 1998 on site, and, is of a tiled effect, evoking memories of Yorkshire paving. I am always moved when I see it. It does make a terrific frame for photographic work, as you can see. I am grateful to LJ for additional photos. He is a keen amateur photographer and sometime traveller, as he puts it.

This is an old stone farm tucked in a valley just by Devil's Dyke. It is owned by the National…read moreTrust, as is quite a lot of the land in that area. Walking in to Saddlescomb farm you walk past a duckpond. If you head straight on and round to the right you walk past stone outhouses, and old farming machinery. In one of the fields is a donkey wheel, kind of like a giant hamster wheel but for a donkey, used to grind corn. Chickens run out to meet you. In one of the courtyards is a little trailer selling cakes, cream teas and sandwiches. You can get pots of tea, and on the tables there are cutesy sugar bowls and salt and pepper cellars the likes of which you would find in an old ladies house or at a boot fair; our salt and pepper cellars for example were a pair of Mallard ducks: pepper in the drake, salt in the hen. It's really incredibly quaint, there are a few information boards about the farm, and after tea you can go for a lovely refreshing walk around the downs. Top notch.

Despite being at the very centre of Brighton, next to the conference centre and between the railway…read morestation and the sea, St Paul's is often overlooked by locals. In spite of its size, and its distinctive tower, it almost hides itself among the adjacent office blocks and the Churchill Square shopping centre. At night, and especially at week-ends, the area is packed with people visiting the numerous bars in the area, who probably don't give a second thought to the church in their midst. But they are missing a gem - a beautiful church with a colourful history, and a haven of peace and tranquility in the heart of the City Centre. St Paul's was essentially the vision of one man, Rev. Henry Michell Wagner, vicar of Brighton for forty-six years from 1824 - 1870. He was a wealthy man, and saw the need to build a church to minister to the poor living in the fishing quarter to the west of the church (where the Churchill Centre now stands). He was also a proponent of the Tractarian movement, which advocated a return to more traditional liturgy and ceremonial in the Catholic style. The church has remained a beacon of Anglo-Catholicism ever since. Completed in 1848, the church was one of the first designed in the Gothic Revival style, by the architect Richard Cromwell Carpenter. Saint Paul's was built with newly researched gothic proportions, structures and symbolism, and won immediate acclaim, with its inspiring furnishings and fine stained glass. The glass in particular, is a notable feature, designed by Augustus Pugin (1812-1852), who designed much of the interior of the Houses of Parliament. The windows represent the most complete cycle of Pugin glass in any Anglican church, and are quite exceptional in their colour and detail. It was Wagner's son, Arthur Douglas Wagner, who became the Vicar when he was ordained in 1850, and he remained here until his death in 1902. The traditional style of service, with its pre-reformation elements, attracted both a large congregation and considerable controversy. The ceremonial was mocked as 'the Sunday Opera at St. Paul's', and Wagner's uncompromising teaching on the sacraments evoked anti-papist politics, which eventually broke out into open violence. In 1865, Wagner had refused to give evidence from the confessional at the trial of a woman who had murdered her half-brother. This led to outrage and questions in Parliament about the nature of the confessional at St Paul's. The scandal deepened when it emerged she had offered him £1,000, even though he had not accepted it. Wagner himself was assaulted, and worshippers pelted with stones. Things are, thankfully, much quieter to-day. The church itself is accessed either via the long (and slightly dingy) cloister from West Street, or the old main entrance in Russell Place. It is a grade II* listed building. The exterior has walls of Sussex flint with Caen stone dressings. The tower, originally rather shorter, was extended upwards with a large wooden octagon in 1873. This amazing structure, restored by english heritage, gives the church a slightly foreign appearance, more akin perhaps to the imaginary towers of some Transylvanian castle than a Sussex church. Once inside, the church has a generous Narthex, or entrance space, adjacent to which is the Fishermen's Vestry. This fine Baronial-style Hall, now used for meetings, was once used by the fishermen as a place to mend their nets - hence the name. Turning right from the Narthex, you are hit by the full theatre of the main worship space: a large and beautifully proportioned nave in the decorated gothic style, with generous aisles, leads to an elaborately decorated chancel. The rood screen in front was designed by Carpenter himself, though the cross and figures above were designed by G F Bodley, another great neo-gothicist. As well as the glass and chancel, the church has rich furnishings, in particular its font, pulpit and elborate four-pillared lecturn, designed specifically for the church. All this comes alive during special services, when the church is lit largely by candle-light: whatever your feelings about this style worship, it's a magical experience. To-day, the church has a busy life, with regular week-day services, as well as being a home for music recitals (including during the Brighton Festival) and art exhibitions in the Narthex.

Parish church for the centre of Brighton. Small but ornately decorated. Has life-like Stations Of…read moreThe Cross - one of the best that I've seen. It is a High Church of England & has Mass @ 12.30 on Tues & a sung Mass @11AM on Suns. Strong choir in the parish. It has retained the original altar rails that I knew as a child. The altar screen was erected in 1911 & has a richly decorated pulpit. It has a vibrant parish community, with weddings & baptisms being celebrated there which is good for the future of the church. The only problem for visitors is that it is not easily seen from the road. You could walk by it in the blink of an eye, which is a shame.