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Road intersected by running in the rear of the Pavilion, With a view to connect the whole, the inhabitants of the town gave permission to the Prince to enclose the old road. This was given in the year 1803, but it was not till 1805 that an order from the Sessions, at Lewes, was obtained, authorizing the same, and one of the conditions arranged with his Royal Highness was to the following effect, " That should the Prince at any time cease to require the use of the same, proposed to be given up by the inhabitants, or should the Pavilion and grounds at any time pass from his occupation or be sold, then aud in either of the said cases the said portion was to revert to the use of the inhabitants."* The Grove Gardens adjacent were formerly a public promenade and the resort of tea parties, the entrance to the same being in Prince's Place, out of North Street.
The Pavilion is supposed to have cost upwards of a million pounds, and the late Baron de Bode's money, to the extent of a quarter of a million, was absorbed in this edifice. The Baron's claims were before Parliament several Sessions some few years since. Lambelette and several celebrated Italian painters resided for years in Brighton engaged in the decoration of the Pavilion. It has been stated from authority that the Dome of the Music Room and embellishments alone cost £10,000, the acoustic properties of which cannot be surpassed. George IV. himself was an accomplished player on the violoncello and a thorough musician, and his private band consisted of about 50 performers, selected from the most eminent in the profession, the following being the names of the same :— Malsch, Kramer, Eisert (conductors and leaders), Mencke, Calhoun, Bennewitz, Schonerstadt, Spillerberg, 2 Reims (brothers), Schmidt, 2 Kirchners (father and son), 2 Behrns (ditto), 2 Andres (brothers), Andre (son), 3 |
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* This very important provision was the means of saving this valuable property to the town. |
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