The history of The Level
The Level has a rich and fascinating history.
The Level forms part of the Valley Gardens Conservation Area. It's the principal open space in this area and is traditionally a popular events venue.
Cricket was played here from the mid-18th Century until 1822, when The Level was formally laid out by A H Wilds and the local botanist/landscape gardener Henry Philips. Elm avenues were planted along the outer pathway in 1844.
A black and white historic photo of The Level’s MacLaren pavilion, which was restored in 2013, and which we hope to bring back into full use shortly.
Exploring The Level's history
The council worked with volunteers to explore The Level’s history. This included working with an oral historian who trained volunteers to interview and document local residents’ stories and memories.
Key events associated with The Level in the past include:
- bonfires
- circuses
- coronation feasts
- Easter celebrations, including skipping and "bat and trap"
- fairs
- music festivals
- peace camps
- public speeches, including protests
We worked with the local history website My Brighton & Hove to set up a dedicated Level heritage page.
Watch the video below to find out more about The Level history project.
Development of Brighton's public parks
Two men responsible for much of the purchasing and modernisation of Brighton's parks during the first three decades of the 20th Century were Sir Herbert Carden, three times Mayor of Brighton from 1916 to 1919, and Captain Bertie Hubbard MacLaren, Superintendent of Parks and Gardens from 1920 to 1951.
MacLaren and The Level
In the 1920s, Captain Bertie Hubbard MacLaren, Superintendent of Parks, redesigned the south end as a playground and boating pond with surrounding columns and pergolas. His designs were illustrated in his plans (PDF 2.28MB) and described in his journals (PDF 7.01MB).
The general layout of The Level remains largely unchanged, with the northern part still a level grassed area for events and the southern part occupied by the remains of the children's playground. One of the two restored pavilions at the park (the one on the Ditchling Road side) has been named the MacLaren in his honour.