The Old Steine was originally an open
green with a
stream running adjacent to the easternmost dwellings of
Brighthelmstone. The area was used by local
fishermen to lay out and dry their
nets. When Brighton started to become fashionable in the late 18th century, the area became the centre for visitors. Building around the area started in 1760, and railings started to appear around the green area in the 1770s, reducing its size. This continued throughout the 19th century. The eastern lawns of the Royal Pavilion were also originally part of the Old Steine.
Dr. Richard Russell, whose 1750 paper on the health benefits of sea water helped to popularise Brighton, had a house built on the Old Steine in 1759; the site is now occupied by the
Royal Albion Hotel.
Maria Fitzherbert lived in
Steine House on the west side of the Old Steine from 1804 until her death in 1837.
Etymology The word
Steine comes from the
Old English , meaning "stony place". The name is thought to come from the number of large sarsen stones which once lay in the area. Many of the stones can still be seen at the base of the Steine's Victoria Fountain, where they were placed when it was built in 1823. == References ==