Councillor Lizzie Deane, Mayor of Brighton & Hove, planted a Japanese Spindle earlier this week to mark the 150th anniversary of the Madeira Drive Green Wall.
Mirroring the blue plaques on historic buildings across the city, a green plaque marking the wall’s history was presented by James Farrell, founder of Brighton & Hove Building Green and a member of the Madeira Terrace Advisory Panel.
In 1872 the Euonymus Japonicus, or “Japanese Spindle”, was brought in and planted by the Victorians to decorate the austere 16-metre high wall built to hold back the cliff face.
A special limestone cement to stop the cliff eroding was used and this also helped protect the cliff where the new buildings of Kemp Town were being established.
Later the Madeira Terrace walkway was established, first at the eastern end around the Shelter Hall and later moving towards the western end, connecting with the Aquarium (now the Sea Life Centre).
The first phase of Madeira Terrace construction started in 1888. It was opened to the east of Royal Crescent in 1890, before being extended to the Aquarium in the 1920s.
Fifty years later the Terrace needed significant engineering works and the green wall planting may have been removed. It is not known if the original Spindle plants were transplanted into planters installed at the time, or whether those we see today were planted in 1971.
A recent survey showed that the wall behind the terrace needs to be strengthened to continue to do its job of protecting the cliff behind from erosion. Our challenge is to stabilise and support the wall and Terrace while protecting the Green Wall wherever we can and replanting in a manner that is sustainable.
The remaining spaces between the spindle plants will be home to a whole new ecosystem with both original and new plants. It will be thriving with invertebrates and do the same job of cooling and ventilating the space as the current wall does.
A small section of the Green Wall was cut back in 2021 by the council’s contractors for safety reasons. Thanks to the work of officers and volunteers like Building Green, the wall has since experienced significant regrowth.
On 2 November 2022 planning permission was granted to start the first phase of the restoration of the Madeira Terrace structure. Protecting the heritage of the Green Wall, both below the deck and above, is a key part of this project.
The Euonymus spindles will be protected where possible during the construction phase and other plants will be taken away and colonised to allow replanting later.
Cassettes with special bio-diverse planting mix inside will then be installed against the wall. This will support development of a new ecosystem below the Terrace without long-term detrimental impacts on the rear wall.
Contractors will begin cleaning up the site this year and undertaking preparation for restoration work starting on site in autumn 2023. This will include some severe pruning of the spindle to protect it whilst work takes place around it.
Mayor Councillor Deane said: “I am delighted to be here today to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Madeira Drive Green Wall.
“I would like to thank the volunteers from Brighton & Hove Building Green who have helped advise on the best methods to protect, transplant and re-populate the Wall. And to extend those thanks to the volunteers from Portslade Green Gym and the local East Brighton community who regularly tend the plants here.
“Work is shortly to begin to restore and revive the Terrace. It is one of the most significant projects that the council has embarked on for a long time. I am honoured to be planting this new Japanese Spindle tree and look forward to watching it grow.”
James Farrell of Building Green said: “Thanks to Victorian visionaries Brighton & Hove is home to not only the longest, oldest green wall in Europe - but also the longest continuous ironwork structure in the world, Madeira Terrace.
“The Green Wall was planted in 1872 to make the then new seafront an attractive place to walk, take the sea air, and enjoy the views.
“With the restoration of the Terrace moving forward these ambitions remain as relevant now as they did then. I would like to encourage more people to come and take in the nature that can be found on our seaside. It is a wonderful resource which can help us feel calmer and happier.”
Brighton & Hove Building Green is a website and resource managed by volunteers, and a platform for engagement and promotion of nature in the city. It was founded in 2006 by James Farrell, a coach, environmentalist and Kemp Town resident.
James is making a film called 'The Great Green Wall of Brighton, Nature by the Seaside’ with LatestTV. The film tells the story of Brighton’s connection to nature from 1700 to date and features the Madeira Drive Green Wall.