Preston Manor

Preston Manor sits in the green suburb of Preston Park, a couple of miles inland from the seafront, and offers a very different Brighton from the pier and the palace. The house has older roots, but it is best known as the home of the Stanford family, who lived here in the early twentieth century and left it to the town. Rooms have been arranged to show life above and below stairs, so you walk through drawing rooms, bedrooms and a nursery, then down to the kitchens and servants' quarters where the household staff worked long hours to keep things running. The atmosphere is intimate and domestic compared with the grand scale of the Royal Pavilion. Outside, a walled garden and a small pet cemetery add charm, and the house has a long reputation as a haunted place, which gives guides a good story to tell and gives the building a slightly spooky edge that children and adults both enjoy.

The house is run by the Brighton and Hove museums service, and opening days and tours vary through the year, so check the current visitor information before you go. Some parts of the programme are seasonal, and the house can close for events or maintenance, so it is worth confirming that it is open on the day you plan to visit.

A ticket is normally needed for the house, while the surrounding park is free to enjoy. Allow about an hour for the rooms and a little longer if you want to wander in the garden.

Getting there is straightforward. Preston Park has its own railway station on the line from Brighton, a short ride of a few minutes, and buses run along the main road. You can also walk from the city centre in around thirty minutes, passing through North Laine and uphill along London Road.

If you arrive by train, the walk from the station to the house takes only a few minutes through the park gates. The park itself is large and pleasant, with a rose garden, a cycle velodrome, a cafe and open lawns, so it makes a good picnic stop alongside the museum. Parking is limited near the house.

Inside, look for the details that bring ordinary life into focus: the nursery, the kitchen equipment, the bells that summoned servants and the contrast between the family's comfortable rooms and the cramped quarters downstairs. The house is a good choice if you enjoy social history, because it concentrates on people rather than royal grandeur. Staff and guides often share stories about the household, including the ghosts said to haunt certain rooms, and some seasonal events lean into the spooky theme.

The building is old and has stairs and narrow passages, so access for wheelchairs and strollers is limited upstairs, and you should check the arrangements with the museum before you travel. Pair the visit with a walk in Preston Park and a coffee, then take the train back to the centre. The park is also a good place to let children run off energy before or after the tour, and the nearby Preston Park velodrome is fun to watch if racing is on.

It is a good wet-weather option for a quieter day, and it appeals most to visitors who have already seen the main Brighton sights and want something calmer and more local.