Preston Manor — Attraction in England

BRIGHTON’S HIDDEN GEM EDWARDIAN TIME CAPSULE of Edwardian life is back open to the public and its the best it’s ever been.

I’ve visited Preston Manor many times over the last 3 decades. I often went as a child as I lived locally but my school didn’t do their amazing school trips fondly remembered by many locals.

The revamp has really enhanced the visitor experience. It now really has the feel As if the family and their staff have just got up and popped out for a bit, but will be back any minute. You really do feel like you’re in a movie or a time slip back to the graceful Edwardian days. Don’t be put off by the not very decorative exterior because it hides stunning rooms inside.

There is a new audio tour that you access on your phone via a QR code. The actors on the audio to take the personalities of the former residents both above and below stairs and this makes it really fun but also informative for all ages.

All of the rooms on display really do feel like a movie set and of course it is very famous for its ghosts too, even appearing on Most Haunted for a full length episode.

A wonderful new addition is the café which is situated in the former formal dining room. It’s run by Rust Café And it’s been very busy during the recent reopening, but queues have moved fast and the cafe staff are very friendly And very quick to clear tables, so that tables are clean and ready for the next visitor. We had a coffee, hot chocolate, hot cross bun, vegetarian pastry and vegan red velvet cake. The cake slice was so huge I had to ask for a box to take the rest of it home because even though I have a sweet tooth, I couldn’t eat that all in one go! The café has tables inside, but the outside part is on the manor’s lawns and on a lovely day it is very nice to sit out there.

The Mum staff are very friendly and it is clear they really love the manor and its former occupants including the ones that refuse to leave and haunt the place.

You must visit the walled garden and it contains a little pet cemetery for the dogs and cats of the manor with their tombstones still visible. Just outside the wall garden are the famous Twin Elms one of which sadly got Dutch Elm disease not its returned to its place with gold leaf inside.

Entrance to the walled garden and the café are free.

Your ticket price at the Manor includes repeated free visit for the manor for that year. Local get a discount for the admission fee.

Obviously, I’m a big fan of Preston Manor and so is my husband. We even held our wedding reception there in 2023 because we wanted a haunted house themed wedding and the museum did not disappoint! If you’re interested in small group private dining or a small group wedding reception do contact the events team at the Brighton and Hove Museums trust.

No trip to Brighton would be complete without visiting this hidden gem. The café doesn’t open all days and is open at weekends and bank holidays but if it continues to be so popular this might hopefully change as the café is a great addition.

I think some reviewers have unrealistic expectations of a brand-new branch of a local independent café trying to run out of historical building which has only just reopened to the public and is super busy. Anyone complaint on a queue clearly never been into a chain coffee shop in Brighton because the wait is a lot longer in a chain coffee shop than when it’s very busy at Preston Manor’s cafe. People around us seem to be enjoying their food and drink. Plates were certainly left empty.

You can get to Preston Manor from the city Centre by a short bus ride. To make the most out of your trip out, I would also recommend it visiting the free entry Brighton Rock Garden opposite the manor Locals know it as either the Rockery or the ROOKery.) It’s also worth exploring the mediaeval church next to Preston Manor and the churchyard around it.

If you’re really lucky you may even bump into a ghost of one of the former residents or their small dogs that are said to still scamper happily...

sat through half the night but was consistantly told to turn camera off. This despite being told by the actor in charge that most ghosts were seen in daylight more!!. I was looking for somewhere to take a friend dying of cancer(6 months tops). After realising nothing was scientific in any way and being talked to as if i knew nothing(25yrs and 2yrs so far degree) i said 'as ive only done half the 'hunt' im happy to leave if you give me half the money back. He agreed and took me to reception. The chap at reception(nice guy) tried to get me to sign a waiver. i refused and had to sit on marble stairs(iwalk with a stick and have 3 fused vertibrae and muscular atrophy) for 2 and a half hours. The actor in charge then, after all this time first tried to ignore me, letting everyone out side door. When i got annoyed he said 'i never said id refund(in which case why was i locked out!) and said 'not my problem mate, you'll have to contact the council'. I'm disgusted as have done this 25yrs and was never treted so badly. DONT waste your money. They refuse to allow filming(suspect) and 'table tipping' was done with a table made of balsa wood and despite them trying to stop me, i lifted it with one finger. Honestly a complete con anjd were the council working 'id be ringing them now . Truly shocked and disgusted. Expected more at those prices(£35 each- party of 4) and will go to court regarding it. Thank god my dictaphone was running to prove...

I took my two boys here yesterday for a Victorian Cooking Club and we had a fantastic time. As workshops go it was well timed, nicely paced and had good content. The staff were all so friendly, fun and knowledgeable about the house. They gave the children a tour of the dining room and withdrawing room, linking the relevance of the cooking aspect back to the daily life of the owners and then took them down into the basement kitchens and talked to them about the daily life of the maids and servants. The children then got to make 3 traditional items that may have made up part of the daily menu; a spinach and cheese pastry filled with mushrooms nutmeg and spring onion, a bread and butter pudding with custard made from scratch and hot cross buns, and finished off with a raspberry lemonade, which was taken home in a glass jar. All the food was taken home to be eaten. I want to thank the staff for an enjoyable and educational day, and even the welcome we had at the door made us feel like they were all really happy to...