Brighton College History Talk and Tour

For a single day, Brighton College will open its doors to visitors, with a historical talk from the College Archivist, followed by a tour of the school site and some of its newest buildings.

At 2pm, visitors will be welcome to have some refreshments at Scott's Café, inside The Richard Cairns Building, the newest addition to the school site.

The talk will commence at 2.30pm, and will provide a short but interesting overview of the College’s history, from its foundation in 1845, through periods of prosperity and near-bankruptcy, navigating the dangers of the Great Depression and two World Wars, to its recent successes amidst Brighton's own transformations as a city.

Using a selection of photos and other archival records, the archivist will cover some of the key moments, individuals, events, and architecture that have helped to make Brighton College the success story it is today. Throughout, we will also cover how the College site has grown and changed over the last 175 years.

After the talk, visitors will be able to go on a tour of the College site and take a closer look at some of its newest buildings, while guided by some of our marvellous Prefects. During this talk we hope visitors will have the opportunity view the College’s fascinating blend of historical and modern architecture, and to see what life is like for Brighton College pupils today.

Brighton College is situated along Eastern Road, in the Kemptown area of Brighton, to the east of the city centre.

Timings & Tours

Friday 12 September:

Refreshments 1400-1420, Talk 1430-1515, Tour 1515-1545

Location & directions

Brighton College, Eastern Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 0AL

Directions:

You can enter Brighton College by foot, via the main entrance along Eastern Road. Security will allow you to enter the main quad. Once inside the main quad, reception can be accessed via the door immediately to your right, where you can sign-in and receive a visitor's pass. Sadly, we are unable to allow visitors to arrive by car, but the College is easily accessible on-foot, or by using the number 1 or 7 buses.

Contact on day:

James Harrison

Telephone number:

+441273704327

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking required

Booking conditions:

Please contact [email protected] to book your place on the tour, and provide the number and names of the visitors who are planning to attend.

Booking contact name:

James Harrison

Booking telephone number:

+441273704327

Booking email:

[email protected]

Booking opens:

04 Aug 2025 12:00 PM

Booking closes:

11 Sep 2025 05:00 PM

Accessibility details

Visitors should note that we cannot provide parking spaces for attendees to this event.

Additional information

Max no of people per tour:

40

Est. tour duration:

1 hour(s) 45 minute(s)

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