When Was Brighton Founded? From Iron Age Hillfort to Domesday Village

Brighton has no single "founding date"—it evolved over millennia. Key milestones:

Prehistoric & Roman

• Iron Age (~500 BCE): **Cissbury Ring** (3 mi north) — massive hillfort, flint mines. Not Brighton proper, but regional center.
• Roman Era: Scattered villas, roads. No major settlement at Brighton site.

First Written Record: 1086

Domesday Book (William the Conqueror's survey) records:
**"Bristelmestune"** — held by William de Warenne.
**Meaning:** *Beorhthelm's tūn* (farmstead/settlement of Beorhthelm).
**Assets:** 4 villagers, 6 smallholders, 1 church, 8 ploughs, 2 slaves, meadow, woodland. **Value: £12.**

Medieval Growth

• 12th–13th C: Fishing village ("Brighthelmstone") around **The Lanes**. St. Nicholas Church (12th C tower survives).
• 1313: First charter (market/fair) from Edward II.
• 1514: Burned by French raiders. Rebuilt.

Modern Transformation

• 1730s: Dr. Richard Russell promotes **seawater cure** — royal/aristocratic patronage begins.
• 1783: Prince of Wales (future George IV) visits; builds **Marine Pavilion** → **Royal Pavilion**.
• 1841: Railway from London — mass tourism, explosive growth.
• 1854: Incorporated as **municipal borough**.
• 2000: Granted **city status** (with Hove) for Millennium.

Bottom line: Continuous settlement since at least **1086 (Domesday)**; "Brighthelmstone" established by **1313**; modern Brighton born **1780s–1840s** as seaside resort.