Brighton is located on the south coast of England, and together with its immediate neighbour Hove forms the city of Brighton and Hove. Brighton is one of the largest and most famous cities by the sea in the United Kingdom. The ancient settlement of Brighthelmston dates from before the Domesday Book (1086), but it emerged as an important health resort during the 18th century and became a popular destination for day-trippers after the arrival of the railway in 1841. Brighton experienced rapid population growth reaching a peak of over 160,000 by 1961. Modern Brighton forms part of a conurbation stretching along the coast, with a population of around 480,000