Chapter XXXI · HOVE AND CLIFTONVILLE.

Adjoining Brighton on the west, is the parish of Hove, which still retains nearly its ancient name, being written in the Doomsday Book Hov. It covers a large area of ground, and, for the most part, is laid out in fine open streets, and houses of noble elevation. Palmeira Square and Adelaide Crescent, projected by the late Baron Goldsmid, and now completed, is the most magnificent range of buildings in the parish. In 1801, the population of Hove was only 101, in 1811 it increased to 312, and in 1831 to 1,360, in 1851 to 4,104, in 1861 to 9,818. This great increase in population during the last ten years is to be attributed to the building of Cliftonville, forming quite a new town in the centre of the parish. The houses generally are semi-detached villas and private residences, many of which display much architectural beauty. The parish church (St. Peter) is a flint and stone building in the Norman style, and was restored in 1834 from the ruins of one which was formerly considered a structure of great beauty and grandeur, the tower of which fell down in 1801. After the falling of the tower, a wooden pigeon-house steeple was erected, and the centre aisle sufficiently accommodated the congregation up to the time of its restoration. The accommodation afforded by Hove parish church, owing to the rapid rise of Cliftonville, was soon found to be inadequate to the requirements of the community,—as in certain seasons of the year the influx of visitors is so great that the population is considered not less than 12,000; and in 1852, another church was erected at the west end of the Western Road, and dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and even now the church accommodation is insufficient. In 1855 a Town Hall was built by the Commissioners. This was necessitated in consequence of Brighton having obtained a Charter of Incorporation, and consequently criminal cases arising in Hove and villages in its neighbourhood could no longer be adjudicated on by the Brighton Bench. The County Magistrates are C. Carpenter, Esq., John Borrer, Esq., W. Furner, Esq., R. Henty, Esq., Colonel Paine, M. D. Scott, Esq., F. S. Hurlock, Esq., J. H. Pickford, Esq., W. F. Smithe, Esq., Sir G. A. Westphal, and P. Salomons, Esq. The police force is very effective, there being one constable to every 500 inhabitants. The fire brigade is made up from the police force, and is organised under the direction of Superintendent Breach. Building operations still continue in Hove to a large extent, a new road (Cambridge Road) being just completed, and a new street having recently been laid out to the west of the Sussex Hotel, in Cliftonville. The houses there are being built by Mr. Jabez Reynolds, of Brighton, on a large scale, and bids fair to form one of the finest streets in the parish.