Regency Square conservation area

Please note that this text is an extract from a reference work written in 1990.  As a result, some of the content may not reflect recent research, changes and events.

This outstanding conservation area, which stretches westwards from the Grand Hotel to the borough boundary, was developed principally in the 1810s and ’20s, and contains some of the finest examples of Brighton’s famous Regency architecture. However, the district of around 2,500 people now has many housing problems with its many multiply-occupied houses and bed-sits. The streets of particular interest in the area are detailed below, but see also “Bedford Hotel“, “Grand Hotel“, “King’s Road“, “Lower Esplanade“, “Metropole“, “Norfolk Hotel“, “West Pier“, and “Western Road“.

q) SILLWOOD PLACE: Leads from a small gateway at Sillwood Street to Sillwood House, and was originally flanked by two terraces of about 1827-8 by A.H.Wilds. Unfortunately the western terrace, which was later used as the Hotel Montpelier until 1960 and also as the Starlight Rooms, was demolished in about 1969 and replaced by the oppressive grey bulk of Osprey House. However, the listed eastern terrace remains and is decorated with Corinthian pilasters. No.9 housed the West Cliff Catholic Mission from 1858 until St Mary Magdalene’s Church opened in 1862, and has unusual, oriental ground-floor windows.
Sillwood House itself is a mansion built in 1827-8 by A.H.Wilds for Sir David Scott who had purchased the site of the proposed Athenaeum and Oriental Garden (see “Oriental Place” above); he named the house after his family’s estate at Silwood Park, Berkshire. The three-storey building has ironwork balconies on the first and second floors, and a semi-circular portico on the western side facing Montpelier Road. In 1880 it was converted into the Sillwood Hall Hotel, but since about 1961 it has belonged to the adjacent store in Western Road, now Debenhams.  A listed building, Sillwood House was derelict for many years but a restoration and conversion to flats commenced in 1989; it has a superb cast-iron staircase. An excellent model of Sillwood Place and the surrounding area may be found in Brighton Museum.

Any numerical cross-references in the text above refer to resources in the Sources and Bibliography section of the Encyclopaedia of Brighton by Tim Carder.

Comments about this page

  • Thats my house! the one with the palm tree in the garden! I love these houses, beautiful.

    By Isabel Riddy (17/12/2007)
  • Love the site. My Late parents Maurice and Pat Sohn owned the Hotel Montpelier and the Starlight Rooms. Sadly, my Father died in 1968 on his fiftieth birthday, having had a two week retirement. My Mother died in 1995 – having told me about the Hotel and Club, including how artistes such as Millie played there. All I have of the hotel today are a few advertising leaflets.

    By Mark Sohn (02/05/2008)
  • Dear Mark, I come from Naples Italy and I am 65 years old. I had the pleasure to be friend of your Father and Mother from 1961 to 1967 at the Starlight Room in Montpelier Road where I used to go every night. I was friend of Stan as well (the DJ) and I still keep an LP Record that he gave me in 1962 with his signature. I must thank Internet that has given me the opportunity to find news about the Starlight Room which is a part of my youth. Lately I have been at the ‘Pop Inn’ too.
    I hope to find a photo of the Starlight Room but I am not sure that I still have it. If so I will send it to you. I hope to hear from you though this site.
    My e-mail is: thommas@libero.it

    By Tommaso Bruno (28/10/2008)
  • Old memory for me! I used to stay in an hotel called ‘The Duphine Hotel’ in Sillwood Place owned by Stanley Westmoreland. If anybody has news please inform. Thanks. Tommaso Bruno. Naples-Italy

    By Tommaso Bruno (28/10/2008)
  • Message for Mark Sohn, I played in The Starlight Rooms hundreds of times between 63/66.  I knew your father and mother and you should be aware that there is a music website dedicated to Brighton’s sixties music history including The Starlight Rooms: http://www.brightonbeat.com. Please contact us.

    By Trevor Duplock (04/12/2008)
  • My great great great grandmother, Alice Sherbon, was a kitchenmaid for the Cutts family at 22 Sillwood Place in 1871. Does anyone have any further info?  I would be interested in any info on the Cutts family and whether No. 22 is still standing. Many thanks.

    By Carrie Vickers (14/02/2009)
  • Just read the comment by Tommas Bruno regarding the Duphine Hotel. I am Stanley Westmoreland’s daughter and still live in the area. My father died in January 1995. I  have happy memories of my childhood visiting the Duphine Hotel and sitting in the rear garden.

    By Judy Fletcher (15/03/2009)
  • One question: The Starlight Rooms. Was it in the same place that later became the Montpelier Rooms? I remember having been in the Montpelier Rooms (disco) in 1969. They also had the walls painted black and the phosphorizing lights. Or was that a different venue? Dieter from Düsseldorf

    By Dieter Petzold (03/02/2010)
  • Message for Judy Fletcher: I read your comment only now, please contact me at the following e-mail address: thommas@libero.it I hope you will read this message. Tommaso.

    By Tommaso Bruno (01/07/2011)
  • Does anyone know the name of the film that was made around the early 1960’s that used the Montpelier Hotel for some of the scenes? I did some electrical work there when they were filming. I also remember the owner of the hotel used to have a lounge just off the club area and he smoked Winston Churchill size cigars, he would give me a cigar every time I turned up, but I never smoked.

    By Michael Clark (13/12/2012)
  • I spent many happy nights in the Starlight Rooms in the early 60s and later in the 80s. Lived for 8 years at number 9 Sillwood Place in the ground floor flat with the windows which echo the Royal Pavillion. On a recent memory visit to Brighton, I was pleased to see that this area has been cleaned up and looks very tidy and smart.

    By Chris Kisko (04/12/2013)
  • Very informative. I am trying to trace my paternal grandfather who I believe was a musician at the Starlight Rooms. He had been in Liverpool prior to this time in the 1950s – my mother was born in 53. My grandmother was Elsie ‘Stephanie’ Stanger nee Scholes. Any information would be great fully received. 

    By Carrie Emmerson (29/11/2015)
  • I remember Sillwood Place well, I lived with my parents in a couple of the flights on the Eastern side and remember the new flats (Osprey House) being built.  I also went to Middle Street Primary School before it was demolished in 1973 and rebuilt.  Its great to look back at these old pictures and learn a little of the areas history. 

     

    By Jane Donaghy (17/07/2018)
  • My late father, Frederick George Barker, was born in 10 Sillwood Place on the 22nd March 1918.
    His mother, Maud Frances Barker nee’ Slatford, was residing at 11 Pelham Square Brighton.
    His father was Frederick William Barker.

    By David V Barker (10/11/2021)
  • Hi David,
    That’s so interesting! I live at no 10 now and have done for the past 25 years. Sadly, this beautiful building is chopped up into independently owned studio flats now.
    I wish I’d known it before! There are original features – ie a huge internal window – that I’m not allowed to reinstate due to fire regs. But it was clearly a very beautiful house when your father was here.

    By Tamara Fletcher (21/11/2022)

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