One of Brighton's little known architectural gems is this Victorian stairway, running between Lover's Walk and Dyke Road Drive, near Preston Park.
Lover's Walk is the home of one of Brighton's first railway engine sheds and from the very dawn of Brighton's railway heritage in 1845 right up to the present day, the area is home to the sound of trains and shunting of carriages. A large bridge crosses the railway at the junction of Highcroft Villas and Dyke Road Drive and the railway is cut into a shelf on one side of the valley occupied by Preston Park, giving rise to a steep bank up to the railway line and roads beyond, hence the steep climb of Dyke Road Drive. A far quicker and easier ascent is created from Preston Park by the use of these steps.
Lover's Walk itself has changed dramatically from it's origins: it was initially a tree lined grove running due north-west up the hillside from the valley up to Port Hall Estate at the crest of the hill, but standing directly in the path of the proposed London to Brighton Railway line, the original location is prone to speculation. The current path of Lover's Walk is quite far removed from the original course, but is still a quiet and tree-lined thoroughfare.
Modern day offices line one side and a Travelodge hotel sits on the opposite side, but towards the top of the slope, Victorian detached houses sit proudly and beyond are what must be some of Brighton's most picturesque flint walled cottages.
The steps themselves are supported atop 4 huge brick arches, which form a dramatic backdrop at the rear of one of the houses' gardens and blend in beautifully with the huge Chestnut trees dotted around the area. It really is a fantastic, peaceful and well kept secret of Brighton's history.