The Level's Training Ground

The Level's is the second largest public area in Brighton. Brighton became a barrack town in the 1700's and in the early 1800's the Level was used as a drill and exercise ground for soldiers based in the barracks in Church Street. Every year around Easter, military exercises were held in the Brighton area involving militia from all over England. They were supported by the regular army from the two local barracks and other army barracks further afield. Post 1840, most foot soldiers from the far west and north of the Thames arrived by steam train, and the Level was used as their initial assembly point. They then paraded through the town and up to the race course. ASt this time the popular tune 'Brighton Camp' was written to accompany the marches. During WW2 the Royal Engineers' took over the topmost northern quadrant of the north lawns for their record offices in Nissen Huts and various training elements, trenches and barricades were laid out. in the park to prevent enemy parachutists from landing on this open location. Some of the Nissen huts remained in use until well into the 1950's. As a public space it was used to hold large parties to celebrate the end of the Napoleonic and Crimean Wars. During the 1930s and late 40s the Levels were sites of rallies by Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists which were broken up by patriotic locals. In 1983 the Brighton Women's Peace Camp was set up in support of the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp protesting against American Cruise missiles on British soil.