Preston Manor in Brighton in urgent need of repairs, says trust

BBC News

3 days ago

One of the "most haunted houses" in the country is urgently in need of extensive repairs, with an estimated cost of £150,000.Brighton & Hove Museums, which manages Preston Manor in Brighton, is appealing for financial support to help restore the building's damaged facade, weakened render, and weather-worn shutters. The building has more than 700 years of history and has recorded ghost sightings since the 19th Century, according to the museum trust.Hedley Swain, chief executive of Brighton & Hove Museums, said: "Preston Manor is one of the most atmospheric and historically rich sites in the UK and we can't afford to lose it."
'Architectural treasure'
A spokesperson said ghost sightings included a grey-clad woman seen in the boiler room, on the staircase, and on the roof during World War Two.The property, which is a Grade II listed building, was a private residence until 1932. Ms Swain described the building as a "architectural treasure". Its current structure was largely built in the late 1700s, with some parts of the architecture dating as back to the 1200s.Years of exposure to harsh coastal weather had left the building's exterior compromised, said the trust.It added the render was falling away, cracks were spreading, and the original wooden shutters were rotting.In April, Preston Manor reopened after five years following a renovation of a visitor attraction which provides a glimpse of what life was like for the upper echelons of society during the Edwardian period.
"The exterior of the building still tells a different story," Ms Swain explained. "Unfortunately, we simply didn't have the funds to restore the outside at the same time."The trust said the appeal, called To The Manor Reborn, will run until November 2026. It aims to raise at least half of the repair cost through public donations.