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The building on the corner of Burlington Street, Royal Crescent Mansions, incorporates the former home of Tory statesman George Canning who lived here while Prime Minister in 1827. He is said to have had a room soundproofed with baize - the felt used on billiard tables - where he could practice his speeches without being overheard.

For many years the building was a hotel, attracting stars such as Charlie Chaplin, who would have come out onto the balcony of his favourite seafront room to wave to fans.

No.25 Burlington Street was the home of Brighton's "Cheeky chappie", comedian Max Miller, at the height of his 1940s fame.

(TURN LEFT AND FOLLOW THE CURVE OF ST.GEORGE'S ROAD/BRISTOL ROAD ROUND TO ST.JOHN THE BAPTIST RC CHURCH (OPEN MOST DAYS 8AM-6PM). GO UP THE STEPS ON THE LEFT OF THE BUILDING AND ENTER VIA THE SIDE DOOR.)

THE SECRET WIFE

St.John the Baptist Church, built in 1835, houses the tomb of Maria Fitzherbert, pictured left, the Prince of Wales' secret wife.
George was 22 when he met twice-widowed Maria at the opera, and instantly fell in love with her. But he could never publicly make her his bride because of her Catholic faith.
Maria, who was 28, charming and virtuous, refused to be his mistress. Mad with desire, George secretly and illegally wed her in 1785, without necessary permission of his father George III. But after many happy seasons together in Brighton, George tired of Maria and left her with a £3,000-a-year allowance. He married his cousin Princess Caroline of Brunswick, in return for his father paying off his £600,000 debts. That was a disaster and he took up again with Maria, only to snub her a second time because of her faith when he became Prince Regent in 1811. After George's death in 1830, his brother William IV allowed Maria to dress her servants in royal livery. She died in Brighton, aged 80. Her memorial, on the right-hand wall, shows her wearing three wedding rings - one for her secret royal marriage.

CHIMNEY PIECES

Marine Gardens was a service road for the large houses in neighbouring Charlotte Street. No.12, lived in by generations of chimney sweeps, is cobble-fronted - a traditional seaside feature created from beach pebbles and often coated with tar to keep out the rain. No.14 was the first Brighton home of classical actress Dame Flora Robson pictured left.

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