Hove

Hove is a coastal town in South East England that sits along the English Channel shore and borders Brighton to the east. The seafront promenade runs past rows of Georgian and Edwardian terraced houses, while quieter residential streets with squares and small parks extend inland.

The settlement appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086 as a small village and grew into a town during the 19th century when Londoners came for seaside holidays. In 1997 it merged with Brighton to form a single local authority.

The name derives from Old English for a hood or sheltered place, reflecting the bay once used by fishing boats as a landing spot. Today, residents walk their dogs along the seafront and families gather on the lawns overlooking the beach.

The seafront promenade is suitable for walking in both directions, from Brighton in the east to Shoreham in the west. Shops and cafés are mostly on the main streets parallel to the coast.

The local cricket ground has hosted a professional team since 1872 and remains one of the oldest continuously used venues of its kind in the country. Older residents recall players taking tea in the pavilion after practice and spectators sitting on folding chairs beneath trees.