The Great British BEACH HUT

How a painted wooden bolthole became a staple of our seaside

- ANDREW SHAW

Painted in bright, cheery colours that delight whatever the weather, the beach hut is as much a part of the seaside as sandcastles and sticks of rock. Yet they’re a world away from the rustic fishing huts dotted along other shores. That’s because British beach huts came into being in a distinctly different way.

Prior to the 18th century, the seaside wasn’t somewhere to go on holiday, unless your idea of fun was socialising with smugglers and fishermen. What changed was a new fascination with the sea, particularly bathing in it – the salty water being touted as a remedy for a multitude of ailments. And once King George III gave royal approval to sea baths by taking one at Weymouth in 1789, the future of bathing and the seaside resort was set.

However, therapeutic sea baths presented a modesty problem. The solution was the bathing machine, which appeared around 1730 – an enclosed carriage that was rolled or horse-drawn into the sea so the occupant could change, then step out to take a dip.