Preston Manor is an Edwardian country house in the Preston Park area of Brighton, Sussex, set in walled gardens two miles north of the seafront.
This guide was updated in May 2026. The single most important update for 2026: the manor reopened in April 2025 after an 18-month renovation, with an entirely new visitor experience focused on the Stanford family and Edwardian “upstairs-downstairs” life — complete with a new actor-voiced audio guide, new room interpretations, and a children’s trail. Any guide describing the pre-2025 experience is out of date. A second point many guides miss: Preston Manor is only open Friday to Monday. Plan carefully around this before booking. You can book on Viator to secure your visit in advance.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | Preston Drove, Brighton, BN1 6SD |
| Season | 14 March – 30 November 2026 |
| Opening days | Friday to Monday only |
| Hours | 10:00–17:00 (last admission 16:15) |
| Adult admission | £14.00 (£13.30 online) |
| Child (5–18) | £8.50 (£8.07 online) |
| Under-5s | Free |
| Online discount | 5% off standard tickets booked online |
| Payment | Card only — no cash accepted |
| Nearest station | Preston Park (5-min walk) |
| Typical visit | 1.5–2.5 hours |
Opening hours
Preston Manor is open Friday to Monday only, 10:00–17:00. Last admission is at 16:15. It is closed every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
The 2026 season runs from Saturday 14 March to Monday 30 November. The manor does not open in December, January, or February. Café Rust, the on-site tearoom, keeps the same hours as the manor.
Tickets are valid for one full year from the date of purchase, including free return visits — so a single ticket effectively becomes an annual pass.
Ticket prices
All prices include VAT. Preston Manor is card only — no cash accepted. Booking online gives a 5% discount on standard adult, child, and resident tickets.
| Ticket type | Door price | Online price |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | £14.00 | £13.30 |
| Child (5–18 years) | £8.50 | £8.07 |
| Under-5s | Free | Free |
Brighton & Hove residents (postcodes BN1, BN2, BN3, BN41) receive a discounted resident rate. A resident adult with up to four children pays £10.50; a resident young person aged 13–18 pays £6.00. Proof of residency required at the ticket desk.
Art Pass holders receive free entry. English Heritage Members receive a 20% discount. Brighton & Hove and Metrobus passengers presenting a valid bus ticket receive 15% off adult and child entry.
Book on Viator to confirm your place and take the 5% online saving.
Why visit Preston Manor?
- 🏡 Completely reimagined in 2025: After an 18-month renovation, the manor now offers a fully redesigned visitor experience with actor-voiced audio, new room displays, and a children’s trail — making it better than at any point in recent memory.
- 🕰️ Time-travel to 1912: The manor is interpreted as it would have appeared in the year of the Titanic disaster — from the Stanford family’s drawing rooms to the servants’ kitchen below stairs.
- 🎟️ Your ticket lasts a year: All standard admission tickets include free unlimited return visits for 12 months from the date of first use — effectively an annual pass at a day-ticket price.
- 🔍 Brighton’s best-kept historic secret: Preston Manor consistently rates as one of Brighton’s most undervisited attractions despite sitting in one of its most beautiful suburban gardens, just five minutes from Preston Park station.
- ☕ Café Rust on-site: The manor’s tearoom, run by independent operator Café Rust, serves food and drinks throughout the opening day — no need to bring your own provisions.
How to get there
By train: Preston Park station is a five-minute walk from the manor. It sits on the London Victoria–Brighton mainline, with direct trains from London taking around 55 minutes. Turn right out of the station and follow Preston Drove north.
By bus: The number 5 or 5A bus from Brighton city centre stops on Preston Drove, a five-minute walk from the manor. Journey time from the city centre is around 15 minutes.
By car: Preston Manor is signposted from the A23 (London Road). Limited parking is available on-site; disabled parking spaces are provided close to the entrance. The nearest public car parks for visitors without a blue badge are a short walk away — check Parkopedia for live availability.
On foot from Brighton: The manor is two miles north of the seafront, approximately 35–40 minutes on foot via the London Road corridor or through Preston Park.
Parking
Limited parking is available on-site at Preston Manor. Disabled parking spaces are prioritised close to the entrance for blue badge holders. General visitors are encouraged to arrive by train or bus. For live information on nearby public car parks, the official site recommends checking Parkopedia before travelling.
How long to spend
Most visitors take one and a half to two and a half hours to see the manor, listen to the full audio guide, and walk the gardens. Families completing the children’s trail typically take a little longer. Allow extra time for Café Rust if you plan to stop for lunch or tea.
Accessibility
Preston Manor is an historic building, and full accessibility is not possible throughout. The basement and ground floor are wheelchair accessible; upper floors are not. An alternative accessible route exists, and staff are on hand to assist.
Guide, assistance, and support animals are welcome. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult aged 16 or over. The accessible toilet is on the ground floor. Visitors with specific requirements are advised to review the detailed accessibility information on the official website before travelling.
What to see at Preston Manor
Preston Manor reopened in 2025 with its interpretation anchored in 1912, the year the Titanic sank. The experience follows both the Stanford family’s life above stairs and their servants’ world below stairs, giving the house unusual social breadth.
The State Rooms on the upper floors include the drawing room, dining room, and the family’s private quarters, dressed as the Stanfords would have left them. The Cleves Room is associated with a ghostly legend that has been part of the manor’s history since the 19th century.
Below stairs, the kitchen, scullery, butler’s pantry, and servants’ hall have been restored and interpreted in detail. The actor-voiced audio guide (accessed via QR code on your own phone, free with admission) brings individual characters to life room by room.
The walled gardens surround the house and are included in the standard admission ticket. The grounds include a pets’ cemetery dating from the Victorian era — one of Preston Manor’s most distinctive and frequently photographed features.
The children’s trail “Mystery at the Manor” runs throughout opening hours and is free with general admission.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Only open Friday to Monday | This is the biggest planning mistake visitors make. The manor is closed Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday every week without exception. Check the day of your visit before booking. |
| Book online for 5% off | The official site and Viator both offer 5% off standard adult and child tickets when booked in advance. Book on Viator to lock in the saving. |
| Download the audio guide before arriving | The actor-voiced audio guide uses a QR code and your own smartphone. Load it before you enter so you can start immediately in the first room. |
| Your ticket is valid for 12 months | Standard tickets include free unlimited return visits for a year. There is no need to buy again if you want to revisit during the same season. |
| Bring a bus ticket for 15% off | Brighton & Hove and Metrobus passengers presenting a valid bus ticket at the door receive 15% off admission — a useful saving if arriving by public transport. |
FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Preston Manor open on weekdays? | No — it opens Friday to Monday only. It is closed every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The 2026 season runs 14 March to 30 November. |
| Can I pay cash? | No. Preston Manor is card only. Cash is not accepted for tickets, the café, or the shop. |
| Does my ticket cover return visits? | Yes — standard tickets are valid for one full year from the date of first use, including unlimited free return visits. |
| Is the building fully wheelchair accessible? | Partially. The basement and ground floor are accessible; upper floors are not. An alternative route exists for visitors with mobility limitations. |
| Do I need to book in advance? | Booking is not mandatory, but booking on Viator gives a 5% discount and confirms your place on busy days. |
Things to do nearby
Preston Park is directly adjacent to the manor and one of Brighton’s largest and most beautiful public parks. The ornamental gardens, cycle circuit, and the UK’s oldest permanent cycle track make it a pleasant addition to any visit — especially for families with children.
Brighton Museum & Art Gallery is in the city centre, approximately 20 minutes by bus or 40 minutes on foot from Preston Manor. It is part of the same Brighton & Hove Museums trust and admission is free; visiting both on the same day is straightforward.
The Royal Pavilion is Brighton’s most famous landmark — the extraordinary Indo-Gothic pleasure palace built by the Prince Regent. It is in the centre of the city, roughly 20 minutes from Preston Manor by bus, and pairs naturally with a manor visit for a full day of historic interiors.
The Brighton Lanes and North Laine are within walking distance of the city-centre bus stops. The Lanes offer antiques and jewellery in a maze of medieval alleyways; North Laine has independent shops, cafés, and street food.
Stanmer Park is a short drive or cycle north of Preston Manor and offers a large country park, a historic walled garden, and the ruins of Stanmer village — a quiet contrast to the busier stretches of Brighton.
What to visit tomorrow
Bateman’s, Burwash, East Sussex (National Trust, ~45 min by car): The 17th-century ironmaster’s house where Rudyard Kipling lived from 1902 to 1936. The house is preserved largely as Kipling left it and gives a vivid picture of an early 20th-century literary life — thematically close to Preston Manor’s Edwardian focus.
Standen House, East Grinstead (National Trust, ~30 min by car): A late-Victorian country house built in 1894 and decorated with William Morris textiles and wallpapers. The house is exceptionally well preserved and the hillside garden overlooking the Ashdown Forest is outstanding.
Charleston, Firle, East Sussex (~50 min by car): The farmhouse home of the Bloomsbury Group — Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant lived and painted here from 1916. Every surface has been decorated by hand; it is one of the most distinctive interiors in England and a sharp contrast to Preston Manor’s Edwardian formality.
Petworth House, West Sussex (National Trust, ~50 min by car): A grand 17th-century country house containing one of the finest private art collections in England, including major works by Turner. The deer park was landscaped by Capability Brown and is one of the most beautiful in the south-east.
Hove Museum of Creativity (~30 min by bus or 40 min on foot): Part of the same Brighton & Hove Museums group as Preston Manor, the Hove Museum specialises in toys, film, and craft in a Regency villa in Hove. Free entry and easily combined with Preston Manor on the same day.
More Sussex travel
Other Sussex travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Guide to parking at Battle Abbey.
- Visitor guide to Drusillas Park in East Sussex.
- The crucial information you need before visiting Pevensey Castle in Sussex.
- Fishbourne Roman Palace in West Sussex: Plan your trip.
- South Downs travel guides: Explore Beachy Head, the Seven Sisters, Seaford Head and Devil’s Dyke.
