Preston Manor & Gardens
Listed Edwardian manor house in Brighton, showing upstairs and downstairs life, with a walled garden and pet cemetery.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Preston Manor stands at the edge of Preston Park in Brighton. The site had a small medieval building, and a new manor house was built in the 18th century by Thomas Western. William Stanford bought the estate in 1794, and his family, later the Thomas-Stanfords, owned it for well over a century.
In 1905 the designer Charles Stanley Peach enlarged the house, adding a dining room, a servants' wing, a wider entrance hall and verandahs, which gave it its present Edwardian character. The Thomas-Stanford family lived in the house until 1932, when Sir Charles and Lady Ellen Thomas-Stanford gave it to the Brighton Corporation on condition that it be kept as a museum.
The house opened to the public in 1933 and shows how a wealthy family and their servants lived in the Edwardian period. The route covers the entrance hall, the dining room, the drawing room, the Cleves Room, the bedrooms, the servants' quarters in the basement and a nursery on the top floor. The rooms are furnished with period pieces and collections dating from the 1600s to the 1800s.
The walled garden has been restored and includes a pet cemetery. Preston Manor is also known for its ghost stories, which have been recorded since the 19th century, and the museum is run by the Royal Pavilion and Museums Trust together with other Brighton museums.
Highlights
- Edwardian family rooms and servants' quarters
- Newly opened top floor with a nursery
- Walled garden
- Pet cemetery in the garden
- Reputation as one of Britain's most haunted houses
- Free children's trails
Permanent exhibitions
- The Edwardian house – Furnished rooms including the entrance hall, dining room, drawing room, Cleves Room and bedrooms, showing life in a wealthy household in the Edwardian period.
- Servants' quarters and nursery – The restored basement rooms where the servants worked and the newly opened top-floor nursery.
- Walled garden and pet cemetery – The restored walled garden with its pet cemetery.
- Founded
- 1933
- Operated by
- Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £14 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | £8.50Children aged 5 to 18 pay £8.50; no price is published for under-5s. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Carers and companions of visitors with disabilities enter free. |
| Groups (12+ people) | £11.90 per personAdult groups of 12 or more pay £11.90 each; groups of children aged 5 to 18 (12 or more) pay £7.22 each. Group tours must be booked in advance. |
| Families | –Family offers are mentioned but not detailed on the visit page. |
| Brighton & Hove resident (BN1, BN2, BN3, BN41), with up to 4 children | £10.50 |
| Resident young person aged 13 to 18 | £6 |
Card payment only. Booking online gives 5% off the standard prices. A ticket is valid for one year and acts as an annual pass with free return visits (ID is checked). Members of the Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust visit free.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The main entrance has 11 steps. The step-free entrance is a ramp from the basement through gates that are normally closed; call 0300 0290900 (option 6) on weekdays before visiting. A lift serves the basement and ground floor only, so wheelchair users cannot reach the first and second floors, and it was out of service for maintenance when this was checked. The café has no step-free access. Accessible toilet in the basement. Mobility scooters must be left outside and visitors transfer to a manual wheelchair. Guide, assistance and support dogs are welcome and water bowls are provided.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
Children are welcome. Free trails and online games are available; a family trail for ages 7 and up is included with admission. Family and young people's events, including Halloween ghost tours, run on selected dates. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Preston Drove (bus 5, 5A) · 5-min walk
Bus 5 or 5A from central Brighton stops on Preston Drove, about a 5-minute walk away. Preston Park railway station is about a 10-minute walk, one stop from Brighton station. A BikeShare hub is in nearby Preston Park.
By car
Free parking
Free parking on site. Coaches can park on site for pre-booked groups.
The house is a 30 to 40 minute walk from the city centre. Bike racks are provided.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant: not available
- Museum shop
Preston Manor Tearoom by Café Rust inside the house (Friday to Monday, 10:00 to 16:00; no admission ticket needed, no step-free access). A small shop with gifts, cards and postcards is in the entrance hall.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
Venue hire at Preston Manor is offered through the Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust events team (venuehire@rpmt.org.uk).
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Photography | Photos for personal, non-commercial use are allowed; flash, tripods and selfie sticks are not permitted. Professional filming and photography must be booked in advance. |
| Good to know | Group tours must be booked in advance. Coaches can park on site for pre-booked groups. Learning programmes for schools are offered through Brighton Museums. |
