Thomas Cubitt

Thomas Cubitt was the man who basically built Victorian London, yet most people have never heard of him. This master builder transformed swathes of the capital in the 19th century - Belgravia, Pimlico, Bloomsbury all bear his fingerprints. The connection to Sussex comes through his family home and business interests in the area around Brighton, where you can still trace his influence on local development.

What you're actually doing here is a bit of detective work. There's no grand museum or visitor centre dedicated to Cubitt - it's more about walking the streets and spotting his legacy. Property developers and architecture enthusiasts get the most from this, though anyone interested in how Victorian cities came together will find it rewarding. You'll want to spend a couple of hours wandering, ideally with a good local history guide or a book on Cubitt's work tucked under your arm.

The nearest town is Brighton itself, which makes this an easy add-on to a seaside break. Several decent camping spots sit within spitting distance - Brighton Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite is less than a mile away, while Pegs and Pitches and Chalky Downs are both around two miles off. If you're staying at any of these, poking about Cubitt's local connections takes an afternoon without eating into time at the beach or the pier.

Frequently it's completely free - you're essentially doing a self-guided architectural walk through period streets. That said, definitely check ahead for opening hours on any specific Cubitt properties you want to see up close. Winter's quieter, but spring and early summer are when the town's properly alive.