The seaside town of Brighton is known for its picturesque views, wide range of shops and restaurants, diverse celebrations of pride and captivating history.
But just on the outskirts of the town’s busy center lies Preston’s manor, surrounding gardens and park, and with the change of season Preston becomes the hotspot for festive activities.
Preston Manor – which is reputed as the most haunted house in Sussex – mostly dates from 1738 when it was the manor house of Preston Village.
The Lord of the manor at the time – Thomas Western – rebuilt the original 13th century structure, and more recently in 1905 Charles Stanley Peaches renovated and enlarged the house, giving it a more modern appeal while keeping the original 13th and 18th century architecture intact.
The manor had a long history of wealthy upper-class families but come 1932 the longest serving family – the Thomas-Stanfords (reputedly the richest family in Sussex) – gave the house to the Brighton Corporation, today it serves as an exhibition showcasing ghost tours with many alleged ghost sightings over the years.
The manor also acts as a window into how the upper classes lived in the Edwardian era.
If you’re a fan of spooky stories, funfairs or just feeling the autumn spirit, Preston manor and park is the perfect place, hosting a range of activities and tours throughout the autumn months.
Between the 18th and 31st of October, the Manor house and its gardens hosted a pumpkin market, consisting of pumpkin carving, picking and a murder mystery trail.
The pumpkin patch offers you 20 different varieties of pumpkin to choose from and the spooky murder mystery trail is definitely a must see for you, friends and family.
Just a few days after, on the 2nd of November, Preston Park is transformed into a busy funfair, offering food, rides and a gorgeous firework display.
With free entry and appropriate for all ages, Preston’s funfair has become the epicenter of activity, attracting crowds of all ages from across Brighton.
The event runs from 2pm until late with the first firework display at 5:30 (more suitable for children as the noise is less) and the second at 8:00. Personally, I arrived at around 7pm and spent time around the funfair on rides including twisters, dodgems and the giant wheel, later visiting one of the numerous food trucks for dinner.
Through the night you will continue to be entertained with the range of rides, and even personal acts from performers such as flamethrower jugglers.
At the end of the night, the fireworks start – lasting around 10 minutes but displaying a range of different colors and lighting up the sky beautifully.
Although most people leave after the fireworks, the funfair stays open until late continuing to offer and range of food and rides.
I would definitely recommend this event to anyone in the area as it really kicks off the colder weather and gets you in the mood for winter!
For no cost bring friends and family to see the magnificent fireworks and feel alive on the numerous rides.
Over the years, Preston’s manor has changed from a private residence to one of the most visited parks, hosting numerous festive events and used as a hub for a host of different sports clubs and activities throughout the year.
No matter the weather or season (but especially during autumn!), find yourself in the sublime gardens of Preston manor, getting hot chocolate with friends at the Rotunda Cafe or going for a morning run at the velodrome.
