From January 2016, go underground in this brand new tour of Brighton Pavilion. Discover the underground tunnels used by King George IV to visit the riding school and stables, now better known as the Brighton Dome, so he could see his beloved horses away from the prying eyes of the general public. It was originally thought that these secret passageways were used to meet his illegal wife, Maria Fitzherbert but this is actually historically inaccurate, as the tunnel was built in 1821, long after their relationship ended. The tour takes forty -five minutes and will over a behind-the-scenes look into the life of King George IV and his staff. This tour does, however, come with a warning. Organisers have warned that parts of the tour are dimly lit, there are low ceilings and uneven floors but its sure to be tour you do not want to miss. Meg Hogg, who will run the tours with Royal Pavilion and Museums colleague Geoff Greenwood said “This will be the first time the tunnel has been open to the public, having undergone recent restoration to prepare it for public access. Visitors will discover more about life below stairs for Royal Pavilion servants, from the rat catcher to George IV’s principal private secretary. The tour ends with a visit to the tunnel which led to George’s royal stables and riding school, before emerging in what is now Brighton Museum”.
Unfortunately, the tickets are yet to go on sale and the start date for the tours is yet to be confirmed. However, you can sign up to their mailing list to be the first to learn about upcoming events and exhibitions. Something tells me this tour is not something to be missed and will sell out faster than it took King George IV to walk to his stables.
Holly Martin
