Two views, separated in time by well over 100 years, looking west into Castle Square from Old Steine. Why it was called a "square" is a puzzle but "Castle" comes from the old Castle Tavern established here in 1755 and demolished in 1823. This was replaced by the building seen on the right hand side of the top photo, presumably on the original building line and this was later occupied by the gentlemen's outfitters Needhams and the Sussex Hotel. Needhams closed down in January 1929 and that building was then demolished and the road widened. The present building (now a bank) was erected in 1930 onwards for the showrooms of the muncipal electricity board: hence the Brighton shields with which it is adorned.
On the left hand side and in the distance the buildings seem largely unchanged. By a lucky chance the modern photo has caught a modern bus in exactly the same position as the horse-bus after rounding the corner from the Old Steine. In the old photo, near the edge of the pavement on the right-hand corner of Castle Square, is an intriguing object which I am unable to identify. It looks rather like an old style (1980's) parking meter!
Maybe that mysterious object is a hitching post to tie the horses to. I really can't think of any other thing it could be!
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