Marina & Decimus BurtonMarina, St-Leonards-on-Sea, has a rich history that few streets outside of London can rival. During its 19th century heyday, it was considered one of the most desirable places to go if wanting a retreat from London. Louis Phillipe, the ex-King of France, was in exile here, the Queen of Belgium was a frequent visitor too. Others that frequented Marina  included the Duke and Duchess of Saxe Coburg and Gotha, Queen Christine of Spain, The Great Duke and Duchess Michael of Russia, the son of the recently fallen Napoleon III and many others. The houses on Marina designed by Decimus Burton, the son of architect James Burton and a renowned architect in his own right. After working with John Nash, Burton developed a career of his own that took in the celebrated design of The Athenaeum Club in Pall Mall, much work at Kew Gardens and, of course, numerous buildings in St Leonards-on-Sea.