At the end of 2025 I was living in Hove for a few weeks and enjoyed daily walks along the seafront. I became fascinated by a name, "Medina" which kept recurred in one part of Hove's seafront - it's the name of the promenade, a terrace square of mansion houses and Medina House itself.
 
During the time of its development, the Victorians were fascinated with the Isle of Wight, Queen Victoria's holiday home, where there is a River Medina. So the "Medina Ward” was not due to a direct interest to the holy city in Saudi Arabia. However later on this area of Hove eventually leaned into the Arabic meaning of Medina "the city". In 1893-4 "The Medina Baths", were built in what is called Medina House, (now a renovated private home) and was decorated with Moorish inspired architectural details and pseudo-Arabic tiles manufactured by Royal Doulton.
 
The white seafront shelter and bottle green railings were also part of the town's iconic Victorian seafront style and details, denoting that we are in genteel Hove (whereas Brighton's are blue/turquoise). The Rampion Wind Farm far on the horizon brings us into modern times.
 
From the 'framescape' series, paintings with a painted frame, using lightfast inks onto a primed wood base. Title, date and signature on the back.
 
Fitted with 2 x metal D-rings and ready to hang.
 
Read more about the framescape series in my blog, The First Framescape or view more from the series in Collections.