Continuing our potted histories of key areas of Brighton and Hove, this week we’re looking at Seven Dials and Fiveways.
About Seven Dials, Brighton and Hove
The Seven Dials area was born just after the London to Brighton railway line opened, with a mix of terraced homes and very smart Victorian villas built from around 1840 onwards. One of our most recognisable landmarks, it’s the area around the major seven-legged roundabout north west of Brighton railway station, right at the top of Montpelier Road, high on a steep hill with sea views to the south and looking the other way, long views across to the equally steep hill where Elm Grove is.
The name’s origin is obvious: the seven roads radiating from the roundabout-controlled junction. The idea for such a complex junction came from a similar seven-way junction in London, which includes a monument featuring six sundials. Why not seven? Who knows.
The roads running off ‘The Dials’, as it’s often called, are Prestonville Road, Chatham Place, Buckingham Place, Dyke Road, Vernon Terrace and Goldsmid Road. Wherever you want to go in the city from there, one of those roads is a good start.
The traffic at Seven Dials has always been a bit chaotic, so it’s good to know that the junction is due for a revamp to make it look better, work more efficiently for cars and give cyclists and pedestrians a fighting chance at negotiating it without being run over! Thankfully the beautiful elm tree at the top of Vernon Terrace will remain, saved by protestors. Well done, folks.
The nicest thing about the dials, apart from the magnificent buildings and smart roads, are the shops. There’s an eclectic mix of practical and fun with pubs, cafes and restaurants, hairdressers, a very good dentist surgery and one of the best hardware and kitchen stuff stores in town.
About Fiveways, Brighton and Hove
Fiveways is another major junction, this time with (you guessed it!) five arms. Part way up Dyke Road, it’s a relatively peaceful area with a strong community feel. In its centre there’s a small but vibrant collection of independent shops, good restaurants, a great deli and an excellent bakers. Plus, of course, the area’s many lovely green spaces and the golf course. Expect splendid Channel views and you won’t be disappointed.
Back in ancient times the Fiveways junction included just two ancient tracks, the Ditchling Road and the Droveway, which ran from Shoreham along the ridge of the Downs. Up to the late 1820s all you could see from there was fields. The entire area belonged to the ancient parish of Preston, owned by the Stanford family who lived at Preston Manor. In 1838 the landholdings were reorganised and the Harrington family, who lived at nearby Nymans, ended up with a load of land to the north west and north east of Fiveways junction.
Later John George Blaker, who lived on Stanford venue between 1890 and 1926, bought land from the Stanfords and the Harringtons then sold it for development. In 1893, in his role as Mayor of the city, he gifted some of the land to the town for recreation, which later became Blaker's Park.
By the late 1860s the posh Round Hill area had been built and Stanford family land north of Viaduct Road, which was then the boundary with Brighton, became ripe for development. Look closely and you can see the different ages of building marking the stages in the area’s development.
You can find out more on the Fiveways Online website and the Fiveways Directory
