The ancient parish of Preston, a area of arable land cut through by the valley of the Wellesbourne, was the first parish north of both Hove and Brighton. Old Shoreham Road, now a major route through the southern part of Prestonville, formed the boundary. St Peter's Church (the old parish church) and Preston Manor were on the east side of the valley. The western boundary was formed by Dyke Road, which led to Devil's Dyke on the South Downs. Preston parish became part of the parliamentary borough of Brighton and Hove in 1868 and was added to the municipal borough of Brighton five years later as Brighton's urban development spread northwards, encouraged by its rapid growth as Britain's premier seaside resort. Prestonville's development contributed to an increase in population in Preston parish from 756 at the time of the 1841 census to 2,470 30 years later.