Seaside Resorts Project

Pulteney Terrace is a six-house terrace on Weymouth’s striking Esplanade. Named after the notable Pulteney family of Bath, who invested in land and building developments in Weymouth, the terrace was built on reclaimed land in circa 1805. The terrace has remained practically unaltered externally since it erection English Heritage is currently involved in a major national research project on the seaside resort. It is documenting their whole history from their origins in the early 18th century through the democratisation of the seaside in the 19th century to the challenges that they face today.

Brighton Pavilion: This former farmhouse became the seaside residence of the Prince of Wales, later George IV (1762-1830), after he took up the lease in 1786. Four distinct building campaigns transformed the 1770s farmhouse into the most eclectic and ‘exotic’ of England’s seaside buildings Everyone knows at least one seaside resort but how well do they really know them? Holiday makers are drawn to them by the sand and the sea, and usually sit with their backs to the buildings. It is easy to overlook the fact that seaside towns are an assemblage, sometimes chaotic, of buildings from the last 250 years, buildings that have had to adapt to cater for changing tastes. The Georgian gentleman, bathing and drinking sea water to improve his health, would spend the rest of his day enjoying the pleasures of the assembly rooms, library and theatre. A century later, thousands of day-trippers disgorging from trains on newly-created bank holidays, headed for the pier, winter gardens and a host of pavilions with exotic detailing derived, ultimately, from the Royal Pavilion at Brighton. Today, the modern sun-seeker, toasting on the beach, visits a seafront dominated by fish and chip shops, gift shops and pubs!

The seaside town bears the imprint of nearly ten generations of visitors, seeking improved well-being and gentle fun. It is a special place with a wide range of distinctive architecture. The English Tourism Council in 2001 recognised that:

'Seaside resorts have made an enormous contribution to the cultural identity of England and contain some of the finest examples of our built heritage. This is overlooked rather than promoted.' (Sea Changes 2001, 23)

Designed by the architects Maxwell and Turner and the engineer R J G Reade, Blackpool Tower is England’s iconic seaside building. Built to imitate Paris’s Eiffel Tower it included a three-storey entertainment centre containing concert hall, café, circus, aquarium and roof gardens English Heritage’s project is recording this distinctive history and character and to inform the people about this a number of publications are being prepared. To mark the Year of the Sea a photographic book highlighting the joys of the seaside will be published in 2005 while at the completion of the survey an architectural monograph will be published. In 2005 Heritage Counts will focus on the challenges facing the seaside and the state of the historic environment in the towns.

The project is being undertaken by Allan Brodie and Gary Winter (affectionately known as the Beach Boys)! If you would like further information please contact them.
 
Allan Brodie, telephone 01793 414921, e-mail allan.brodie@english-heritage.org.uk.

Gary Winter, telephone 01793 414884, email gary.winter@english-heritage.org.uk.