I’ve said it before and I’ll say it over and over again, when one starts looking at the history of England, one runs into dragons. Everywhere. There are dragons everywhere. Including a royal residence.

Brighton’s iconic Royal Pavilion features unique, stunning architecture and décor, fit for a royal prince. But when one looks closely at the décor, a surprising feature jumps out—draogns!

History of Brighton Pavilion

After visiting Brighton in 1783 with his uncle, Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland, The Prince of Wales (later George IV) found an escape from the constraints of court life with his father. He was advised that the seawater and fresh air would benefit his gout, but the more diverting attractions of Brighton, lively company in his uncle’s circle, gambling, horse racing, music, theater and dining—and of course women—were probably the Prince’s primary draws to create his escapist playground there.

 In 1786, the Prince rented a farmhouse in Brighton. By 1787, he commissioned the designer of Carlton house, Henry Holland, to begin what would become the Marine Pavilion Later, the Prince purchased surrounding lands to build a riding school and stables in 1803-1808.

Josh Nash, architect

After the Prince’s transition from Prince of Wales to Prince Regent in 1811, the Pavilion and its ground began a transformation to reflect its owner’s change in status. Designer Josh Nash redesigned the Pavilion with an Indo-Islamic exterior unique in the region, in a project that would extend from 1815-1822. The interior design, primarily by Frederick Crace and Robert Jones, reflected both Chinese and Indian fashion, something of a revival of the chinoiserie style of the 1740’s. The decorative choices were an example of exoticism in sharp contrast to the more classic mainstream taste of the era.

The Dragons of Brighton Pavilion

 The interiors of Brighton Pavilion were distinctive for many reasons, including architecture, technological advances, and design. I’d like to focus on just one of those aspects here, the dragons. Literally hundreds of dragons grace the walls, textiles and fixtures of Brighton Pavilion. Not exactly what one might expect from the Regency era which is generally associated with neo-classical design. But the fantasy-escape offered by the Pavilion took guest out of the mundane at the first steps within.

Entrance Hall

The entrance hall offered visitors immediate hints as to what might lay within. The walls bear relatively subtle images of dragons.

Long Gallery

The Long Gallery, sometimes also he Chinese Gallery, provided a place for guests to promenade and admire the décor. Carved and painted dragons can be seen in a close examination Nash’s illustration.

Banqueting Room

The lavish banqueting room offers equally lavish dragon decoration, perhaps most notable is the carved and silvered dragon from which the crystal chandelier is suspended. (Click this link to see a photograph of the actual silver dragon http://www.victoriana.com/Travel/images/royalpavilion-7.jpg) Six smaller dragons wind around the lotus shaped glass shades. More dragons decorate lamps, walls and furnishings.

 Music Room

The substantial music room is perhaps the pinnacle of the Pavilion’s chinoiserie theme. Landscape murals feature gigantic serpents and winged dragons. Dragons and serpents support the curtains for the enormous windows and decorate the gasoliers. At least 180 dragon and serpent grace this chamber.

 Dragon décor can be seen in other rooms throughout the pavilion.   

Don’t forget the Tunnels

One final dragon friendly feature of the Royal Pavilion were the secret corridors used by the servants, and the tunnel that ran from the north end of the Pavilion to the stables and riding house. The tunnel was lit by shafts in the tunnel’s roof that held sizeable glass lanterns tucked into the flowerbeds above the tunnel.

Of course there are rumor and myths of a more substantial network of tunnels, connecting a variety of locations to the Pavilion, but those appear to by the substance of myth.  

Or maybe not. If I’m right, and dragons did inhabit Jane Austen’s England, then perhaps, just perhaps the additional tunnels were not so mythical, and the carved and painted dragons are not the only one to inhabit the Royal Pavilion.

A virtual tour of the Royal Pavilion

You can see several of these rooms for yourself! A virtual tour of a number of the rooms mentioned here can be found at: https://brightonmuseums.org.uk/royalpavilion/visiting/virtual-tour/

 References

Brighton Pavilion. Open Learn. September 8, 2012, https://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/history-art/brighton-pavilion/content-section-0 accessed April 20, 2021

Discover the Royal Pavilion. Victoriana Magazine http://www.victoriana.com/Travel/royalpavilion.htm Accessed April 20, 2021

Moss , Richard. Forgotten Rooms And Underground Tunnels – Secrets Of Brighton Pavilion. May 24, 2004.  https://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/royal-history/tra2200   Accessed April 20, 2021

John Nash’s Views of the Royal Pavilion (1826) (All images from this source)