Within these walls: researching the history of a house

All houses have stories to tell, about the people who lived in them and the age in which they were built. The development of Brighton, from a small fishing community to a fashionable 19th century resort, and now a cosmopolitan city, is in many ways reflected in its housing. The elegant Regency crescents, Victorian terraces and post-war ‘homes for heroes’ were all created to meet the needs of a growing population at a particular moment in time, and exploring their history provides a fascinating glimpse into the past.

Social change is just one aspect of house history, however. Perhaps more intriguing is information that relates specifically to your own home. Have you ever wondered when was it built, and by whom? What sort of person was it built for originally? What might their life have been like? Who was its first owner? With the resources available at Brighton History Centre and elsewhere, it is often possible to piece together a surprisingly detailed picture of an individual property, and the people who called it home.