The Garden History Blog

Travel poster for Frinton

Seaside holidays in Britain conjure up a whole range of images… beaches, sandcastles, piers, amusement arcades, rock and candy-floss, boarding houses and their landladies, rainy days, as well as all those lovely seaside gardens, but maybe the one building that sums  it all up is the seaside shelter. What could be more summery in Britain than a few hours  spent sitting in a doorless shed watching the waves  in the howling wind or pouring rain?  And to prove how central to the British life they are, some of those shelters are now listed buildings, even though the names of their architects or designers are often forgotten.

Largely overlooked by architectural historians – after all you wouldn’t think there’s much one could say about a seaside shelter  – but look hard enough, and the variety is astounding. Things have begun to change recently and a couple of books coupled with some  listings by Historic England show they are now being recognised as  the  icons of  the British  way of life that they really are!  So what’s their history?

detail of Travel poster for Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire

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