Margaret Powell

Margaret Powell's story is one of those pieces of Sussex history that catches you off guard - a working-class woman from Brighton who became a successful author and broadcaster, bucking every expectation of her era. Born in 1912, she rose from domestic service to write bestselling cookbooks and memoirs that laid bare the reality of kitchen life for ordinary people. Her frankness was shocking at the time, which is precisely why her words still matter.

Visiting the sites connected to Powell in Brighton is less about grand monuments and more about understanding the texture of her world - the streets she walked, the kitchens where she grafted. It's the kind of thing that appeals strongly to history types interested in social change and women's stories, or anyone curious about how working lives have transformed over a century. Walkers following in her footsteps across Brighton will find a different city now, but traces remain.

There's no formal visitor centre dedicated to Powell, so you'll be doing your own detective work - checking local heritage boards, perhaps picking up her books beforehand so you know what you're looking for. That's actually rather fitting. If you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks like Foot of the Downs or Eastern Sands, Brighton itself is close enough for an afternoon's exploration. Allow a couple of hours to get a proper sense of her Brighton without feeling rushed. Best visited when you've got time to poke around and ask locals - they often know the stories guides don't cover.