What was Britain's first seaside resort?

Scarborough has a major fort, an important port and was the first seaside resort. Britain's First Seaside Resort As the first seaside resort in Britain, 50 years before Brighton, Scarborough pioneered "bathing machines" for women, who entered the ocean clad in vast garments, helped by servant women, from horse dra. Scarborough : A seaside resort, in the 1820s. Sea bathing was pioneered at Scarborough in the late 17th century.

Nestled along the scenic coast of Yorkshire, the town of Scarborough takes pride in being Britain’s first ever seaside resort. Its journey to becoming a popular holiday destination began in the 17th century, when a book by Dr. Wittie about the therapeutic properties of the spa waters was published in 1660. Scarborough holds the distinction of being the oldest seaside town in the UK. Its association with spa waters and early recreational activities made it a sought-after destination for the aristocracy during the 17th century. Scarborough also pioneered the practice of seabathing and introduced rolling bathing machines as early as 1735. Seaside resorts first emerged in Britain during the 1700s when the practice of taking the waters, popular at spa towns, extended to the coast. British seaside resorts have a rich history that dates back to the 1700s. They initially developed as extensions of spa towns, offering a place for people to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of seawater and engage in recreational activities.

When large numbers of visitors arrived to take the spa waters, and subsequently to pursue the health benefits of salt water bathing in the sea, Scarborough became Britain’s first seaside resort, or, in the words of the historian Trevor Pearson: ‘In the hundred or so years that followed the end of the English Civil War, it is no exaggeration to claim that Scarborough invented the seaside holiday.’ By the 1740s, well-to-do people from urban communities in the north of England and further afield were making regular visits in large numbers, for the Spa waters, sea swimming and evening entertainment such as gambling and dancing. The precise date of the discovery in Scarborough is not known, though it is most likely to be 1626. It is believed Mrs Farrer had noticed that the water stained the bottom of the cliff a reddish brown colour and wondered what was causing it. Spa water was already an established attraction in towns like Bath and Buxton. In the 1660s and 70s, medical books discussed the benefits of drinking Scarborough’s spa waters for various ailments. One author, Dr Wittie, suggested two half pints of the water in the morning, followed by a walk along the beach, this repeated for a month or more.