The worst ever day in the long and eventful history of Brighton was in 1514, when it was devastated by invaders from France.

All the houses huddled together in the little fishing town were destroyed by fire with only the hilltop church of St Nicholas surviving.

There had been previous invasions dating as far back as prehistoric times and the French took control of the Sussex coast in the Norman conquest of 1066.

Three centuries of peace would then end abruptly in 1377 when the French grew tired of raids on their territory by English adventurers.

Landing near Brighton at Rottingdean, they plundered and looted most of the Sussex seaside towns and took away the Prior of Lewes as prisoner after he had led the forces against them.

There would also be skirmishes in the English Channel with raids on both coasts in the early 16th century.

They culminated in a dreadful night in June 1514 when the French, led by Prior John, arrived in Brighton in galleys and bigger boats.

There was resistance, as the neighbouring towns were alerted by a series of beacons on the hills, and Prior John was struck in the face.

According to one account he lost an eye as a result while another says he died.

Details are sparse and casualty figures unknown but what is certain is that the wooden houses, many of which were tarred, caught fire rapidly.

Also destroyed was the ancient St Bartholomew’s priory, which stood roughly where the town hall is today.

The English would take their revenge for this attack, sailing to the Normandy coast under the command of Sir John Wallop and setting fire to 21 villages and towns.

There is some uncertainty as to whether or not there was a second attack by the French on Brighton in 1545.

A drawing gives that date but it shows a fire remarkably similar to that of 1514.

An account of the 1545 raid indicates that this time the resistance was greater, with the French causing little damage and suffering losses as they were driven back to their ships.

Certainly the French were active on the South Coast in 1545, coming ashore on the Isle of Wight and sinking the Mary Rose off Portsmouth.

After these repeated attacks, Brighton built new defences, including a fort on the low cliff off Middle Street.

A wall was also built most of the way along the front with gaps for guns and four gates at gaps in the cliffs.

The town would be rebuilt, although not well because its people were very poor, which is why little of medieval Brighton remains today.

There are a few relics in The Lanes but the majority of the houses there date from the 17th and 18th centuries.

The biggest threat to Brighton in the following three centuries would come from storms and coastal erosion rather than from the French.

Although defences were built all along the coast, to repel invasions by Napoleon and later during the 1850s, they were never used.

Eventually, during the Victorian era, proper sea defences would be established. Today the only French invasions are the welcome kind by tourists and students.