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Upper Rock Gardens, BRIGHTON, BN2 1QF

A small cul de sac off Lavender Street though it originally was a narrow alley heading north from St James's Street containing a row of houses, see http://regencysociety-jamesgray.com/volume22/source/jg_22_020.html. These were cleared around 1978 though the alley remains as a footpath that now ends at Eastern Road. This section was laid out in the 1970s and covers an area once occupied by Mount Street. The building with the sloping roof is the council's Lavender Street Housing Office whilst the block on the right is Wiltshire House. Other blocks visible in the distanbce are Warwick Mount and Essex Place.

The road is a continuation of Lower Rock Gardens that heads north from Marine Parade, the A259. The west side was developed in the 1810s with the east side original containing Egremont House which faced south and possessed extensive grounds. This was demolished in the 1880s and replaced with current housing lining the street.

Head north up Upper Rock Gardens then east along Eastern Road until the junction with Park Street. Developed between 1822-30 the western side has survived but the eastern side has been demolished and replaced with 1960s blocks of flats. The other gate into Queens Park can be seen toward the right of the picture. Click on link to take you to the next page. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/232070

1960s residential and commercial developments dominate the scene here and, evidenced by the distant crane, work is ongoing. This view was taken from the traffic light controlled junction of Edward Street with Upper Rock Gardens to the right, and is the view looking in the opposite direction to Simon's Image It is to be hoped that the elderly lady in the pink coat with the walking stick got across the eastbound carriageway in time, as the lights had already changed...

This is the side elevation of the building to the street called Upper Rock Gardens, geographically the west face but liturgically the south aisle and transept. The full dedication of the church is St Mary & St James. It was completed in 1879 to replace an earlier building, to the design of Sir William Emerson, the only English church by an architect who practised mainly in India - in the same year he was working on the cathedral of All Saints at Allahabad (Prayagraj) in Uttar Pradesh. The style has been described as a blend of Early English and Early French Gothic; note the cross gables to the aisle. Inside, the crossing, apse and shallow transepts are all vaulted. A planned tower and spire at the liturgical south-west angle, the corner of St James's Street, were never completed. St Mary's is listed Grade II* https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101380884-church-of-st-mary-the-virgin-queens-park-ward Brighton & Hove Churches https://sussexparishchurches.org/church/brighton-and-hove-st-mary-st-jamess-street/

The apsidal sanctuary and liturgical north (geographically east) transept of Image seen from a side passage. As Nicholas Antram and Richard Morrice note in their Pevsner city guide "its red brick exterior with sandstone dressings is difficult to appreciate in its begrimed state and scruffy environs". St Mary's is listed Grade II* https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101380884-church-of-st-mary-the-virgin-queens-park-ward Brighton & Hove Churches https://sussexparishchurches.org/church/brighton-and-hove-st-mary-st-jamess-street/

Grade II listed. https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101381068-numbers-23-26-and-attached-railings-queens-park-ward