Queens Road, Brighton

Queen's Road in Brighton is a significant street redeveloped in 1845 as part of a slum clearance program to improve access between Brighton Railway Station and the town center. Before the street was constructed, the area housed 25 buildings, and part of the land had been used as a burial ground since the 1700s, associated with the Hanover Chapel. The development of Queen’s Road formed a new boundary for this burial ground.

The initial construction in 1845 was driven by the need to provide better connectivity from the newly established Brighton Station to key parts of the town. Queen's Road quickly became a bustling commercial thoroughfare lined with hotels, public houses, shops, and warehouses. Among the historic features are raised pavement and iron railings dating back to the early 19th century, which are now protected as Grade II listed structures.

In its early years, Queen's Road hosted several healthcare facilities, including a dental hospital located in a terrace house at No. 27, dating back to around 1830. Over the years, the road underwent several expansions. It was first widened in 1878, primarily at the cost of the railway company, and again in 1924 and 1935 through the demolition of several buildings, including the prominent Terminus Hotel, which had originally stood opposite Brighton Station.

One notable building along Queen’s Road is The Queen’s Head pub, which dates back to the late 19th century. Its heavily ornamented façade features French doors, a balcony, casement windows, and a parapet adorned with a bottle balustrade and decorative pediment. The north side of the pub was remodeled in the 1930s, and its detailing was later aligned with the design seen along Queen’s Road.