Hove Actually Walking Tours

27/05/2024

On 6th June 1944 (80 years ago), the largest armada ever assembled in human history left the south coast of England.

Read this local history article written for the Hove Civic Society and the June 2024 Hovarian magazine to find out what was happening in Hove at that time.

Photographs are courtesy of Imperial War Museum (Princess Elizabeth inspecting tank crews on the Kingsway) and 'Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove' (Men of the King Alfred on parade on the seafront and training in Aldrington Basin).

25/05/2024

25/05/2024

Finally sunny days are here! I am a local historian and run a small number of local history walking tours in Hove every year. I wrote them with locals in mind but people from all over the world have enjoyed coming on them too! I am probably only doing these 4 dates this year but may do a couple more in August if I find the time. I will probably also do my annual tour about the First World War & Poets Corner in November (as a fundraiser for the Poppy Appeal) so look out for that one in the autumn.

29/03/2024

Local history article in April 'Hovarian' magazine (on Hove's links with the British Empire).

If you are interested in local Hove history and would like to join a local history walk in 2024, email [email protected]

14/02/2024

Local history article in February 'Hovarian' magazine.

If you are interested in Hove's links with the British Empire and wish to be added to the mailing list for 2024 programme of walks once issued, email [email protected]

04/12/2023

My local history article for December's issue of the Hovarian Magazine.

05/10/2023

09/09/2023

Since the centenary of the 1918 Armistice, I have run this tour of Poets' Corner every autumn (donating half of the ticket price to the Poppy Appeal). A look into the lives of the Poets' Corner community during 1914-18, discover the history of the buildings we walk past every day without a second thought, and the men who left to fight for King and Country.

09/09/2023

There are still places available on the following tours if you would like to make the most of our beautiful September days with a stroll and history.

30/08/2023

The weather is looking lovely for the start of autumn on Saturday (2nd September) and there are still a few spaces available on this tour if you are wondering what to do. To reserve a place, email; [email protected].

25/08/2023

Now summer seems to have belatedly arrived and it is a joy to be out of doors after so many rainy days, if you are at a loose end next Saturday 2 September, 10:00 AM, there are still spaces available on the Land of Hope & Glory – an Imperial historical guided walking tour of Hove. Email [email protected] to reserve your space.

13/08/2023

I have an exciting programme of historical guided walking tours through the streets of Hove for you for Autumn 2023.
Email: [email protected] to reserve your place.

02/08/2023

I have an exciting programme of historical guided walking tours through the streets of Hove for you for Autumn 2023.

Email: [email protected] to reserve your place.

02/08/2023

My local history article for the Hovarian magazine to mark the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade & its Abolition on 23 August. If you find it interesting, why not join the "Land of Hope and Glory?" historical guided walking tour on Saturday 2 September? Email [email protected] for the new autumn programme of walks or to book a place.

29/05/2023

70 years ago today, at 11.30 in the morning, Tenzing Norgay and Ed Hillary, gazed down from the Mother Goddess of the Sky at the world ranged below them; these two intrepid climbers had achieved the incredible feat of being the first humans to reach the Earth’s highest point.

Known for centuries as Mother Goddess of the World and Mother Goddess of the Sky, by 1953 the world’s highest peak had been called Mount Everest for just 90 years.

Colonel Sir George Everest had been honoured for his role as Surveyor General of India and the incredible accomplishment of the mapping of the whole Indian subcontinent. Interestingly, Everest himself objected to his immortalisation in the naming of the peak as he himself favoured indigenous place names.

Why not join me on the Hope & Glory historical guided walking tour of Hove to visit the last resting place of George Everest and learn about Hove’s links to the furthest corners of the world through far-flung empire. This tour uses local history to give a potted history of British imperialism - wars, warts and all.

Hove Actually Walking Tours are entertaining, informative and ideal for the incurably curious. Whether it’s your first visit or you have lived here your whole life, the tours are a perfect way to explore Hove’s streets all steeped in history - surprising stories await around every corner, ghosts are brought to life, and fascinating facts revealed.

The Hove Actually Walking Tour summer 2023 programme of walks is out! Please book early to avoid disappointment as a couple of the tours are already fully booked.

To reserve a place on a tour, please email [email protected] (not Messenger).

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27/05/2023

The Hove Actually Walking Tour summer 2023 programme of walks is out! Please book early to avoid disappointment as a couple of the tours are already fully booked.

To reserve a place on a tour, please email [email protected] (not Messenger). Thanks and looking forward to more sunny days and lots of fun.

27/05/2023

My local history article for June's 'Hovarian' magazine on the theme of my brand new 2023 Poets' Corner tour.

To receive the full summer programme of Hove Actually Walking Tours, email [email protected]

Book early to avoid disappointment as some tours are already fully booked.

09/05/2023

St Barnabas Church in the Poets' Corner area of Hove is a beautiful Victorian church and well worth a visit. And what better opportunity than attending their church summer market on 8th July 12pm – 4pm.

Address: St Barnabas Church, 88 Sackville Road, Hove BN3 3HE

08/05/2023

I am delighted to have finally cobbled together the Hove Actually Walking Tour summer 2023 programme of walks!

And there is a brand-new POETS' CORNER tour for those of you who have already been on all of my other tours over the years.

To reserve a place on a tour, please email [email protected] (not Messenger). Thanks and looking forward to sunny days and lots of fun.

08/05/2023

My local history article in April 2023 Hovarian magazine. If you would like to learn more about Parnell in Hove, why not join my Land of Hope & Glory guided historical walking tour?

28/01/2023

Hove has so much fascinating history and I will be delighted to share it with you when I start up the historical guided walking tours again in Spring 2023. In the meantime, enjoy this article in February's Hovarian magazine. If you wish to go on my mailing list to be the first to receive the programme of walks, just email me at [email protected].

11/12/2022

Hove has its own unique and extraordinary history (often overshadowed by its proximity to the fabulous town of Brighton). Our city is doubly-blessed! Did you know that the first ever Christmas film in the world was filmed in Hove by a remarkable Hove film pioneer? Read my local history article published in the Hovarian magazine to learn more.

To discover the intriguing history of Hove, join a guided historical walking tour led by a local historian. Ideal for the incurably curious, Hove Actually Waking Tours are fun and informative. Whether your first visit to the area or have lived here your entire life, the tours are a perfect way to explore Hove’s streets all steeped in history - surprising stories await around every corner, ghosts are brought to life, and fascinating facts revealed.

To receive the programme of walks, email [email protected]

08/12/2022

On the night of 16th May 1943, an audacious bombing raid to destroy three dams in the Ruhr valley in Germany took place. The mission, codenamed Operation 'Chastise', was one of the most dangerous air operations of the war. Of the 16 aircraft which participated in the “dambusting” that night, only half returned – the other 8 were shot down or crashed.
Today the last Dambuster, George “Johnny” Johnson died aged 101. Before his death, he still talked about how much he mourned the loss of his 53 fellow crewmen who never returned from this famous raid. One of those men, was 21 year-old ‘Johnnie’ (William) Tytherleigh of Hova Villas. Buried in Germany, he is commemorated on the lychgate of St Andrew’s Old Church.

To discover the intriguing history of Hove, join a guided historical walking tour led by a local historian. Ideal for the incurably curious, Hove Actually Waking Tours are fun and informative. Whether your first visit to the area or have lived here your entire life, the tours are a perfect way to explore Hove’s streets all steeped in history - surprising stories await around every corner, ghosts are brought to life, and fascinating facts revealed.
To receive the programme of walks, email [email protected]

25/09/2022

If you are wondering how to fill up the weekend now that the joys of summer are receding and find yourselves at a loose end this coming Saturday 1st October, there are still spaces available on the Land of Hope & Glory – an Imperial historical guided walking tour of Hove. To reserve your place, email [email protected]

06/09/2022

Have you ever seen this building on Hove seafront and wondered about the blue plaques? Here is my article in September 2022 Hovarian magazine about one of the ground-breaking women celebrated there.

24/08/2022

I hope you have all had a lovely summer. Now that glorious Beach Days are getting fewer and far between, why not cast your eye over the Autumn programme of historical guided walking tours attached?

Saturday, 1st October, 10 a.m. – Land of Hope and Glory?
Sunday, 2nd October, 10 a.m. - Hidden Hove: the ancient village through the ages
Saturday, 8th October, 10 a.m. – Aldrington
Sunday, 9th October - Poets' Corner & The Great War
Saturday, 12th November, 10 a.m. - Poets' Corner & The Great War

For more detailed information on each tour, please see the attached flyer on all tours. I take limited numbers on each tour so early booking is advised to avoid disappointment. To reserve your place, email me at [email protected]

I very much look forward to meeting up with you during on one or more of these walks!

24/08/2022

So pleased to have had my local history article published in Hovarian in July 2022 and that the summer programme of Hove Actually Walking Tours were so successful. If you would like to join one of the Autumn guided historical walking tours, you can book your place or receive the programme by emailing me at [email protected]

13/06/2022

Interested in Hove history?

There are still spaces on Hidden Hove (the ancient village through the ages) historical guided walking tour led by a local historian this Saturday. And if the promise of a sunny day isn't enough to tempt you, perhaps brutal executions, whipping posts, famous paintings and the world's first action film can?

"..so many ooh I didn't know that's crammed in .. Rachel is an engaging storyteller ..!"
"Fascinating walking tour on Hidden Hove. Rachel is a really knowledgeable tour leader and her passion for the topic is clear. Really interesting stories about places (and the people that lived there) that you walk past every day! Highly recommended."

Why not cast your eye over the June & July programme of historical guided walking tours attached.