The North Beach Cottages: A History

View from La Touche along North Beach Cottages Colourised

s the harbour goes through perhaps its biggest change ever, it’s more important now than ever to remember what went before.

This stretch of coast has given us the likes of Joe Sweeney and Michael Fields, and here, our #1 town historian Gary Acheson has helpfully put together a timeline charting the building, the life and the fatal storm battering of these iconic Greystones cottages…

1890s – Most of the cottages were built along the beach road during this decade. Three two story houses built at the harbour end – first ‘Alberta’ – later ‘Yarra Yarra’ and ‘Glencoe’ – all three still survive.

1897 – Jubilee Castle was constructed out of the disused lime kiln for Thomas Hewson, a barrister from Dublin. Hewson also lived some years in Burlington House at the harbor. It was named for that year’s Jubilee of Victoria’s 60 years as queen.

1898 – Wicklow County Council takes on road repairs on the North Beach. After several years they reversed themselves and refused further work.

1903 – Hewson sued the LaTouche Estate to prevent sand and gravel being removed from the beach as he felt it was exposing his property to erosion.

1907 – Hewson sued Wicklow County Council to carry out repairs and build a sea wall – he lost.

1910 – Thoms’ Directory lists the occupants of the homes on ‘Sea Beach-road’.

1911 – Thomas Hewson died – Jubilee Castle occupied by his brother Rev. Henry Hewson.

August 1928 – a sea wall is finally built to protect the road and houses at a cost of  £3000.

February 18 1929 – The sea wall is washed away and roadway partially eroded. A week of southerly gales had removed the beach – it was believed the sea wall  had caused a backwash that undermined the wall itself.

February 1930 – More south-easterly gales and spring tides – additional houses are abandoned. The foundations of Jubilee Castle are exposed and eroded. The owner, Mrs. Young, has workers remove furniture and fittings. Mr Curling’s Kiln Cottage is evacuated – the sea is 12 feet from the door. Yarra Yarra is also temporarily vacated. John Evans leaves Renellan Cottage. By now the whole row of cottages and Jubilee Castle are abandoned and crumbling to the ground. Many of the displaced rebuild in Redford and Blacklion with some government assistance.

April 18 1931 – a storm causes “considerable damage” to the North Wall.

After the initial loss of houses in 1929, the Greystones Utility Society was established to help those who had already lost their homes on the North Beach, or those who were in clear danger of doing so. Formed largely by the householders themselves as a support group, plans were put in place as to where to build new homes in Greystones, with several sites mentioned.

Eventually, fields owned by Mr Maguire at the railway arch and Mr Carr at Blacklion and Jink’s Hill were agreed upon. 

North Beach Cottages aftermath. Coloursed

The aftermath of the North Beach storm 1929 Colourised

North Beach Harbour Source Derek Paine Colourised

Storm leaves its mark on the North Beach Cottages 1929 Colourised

Before the exodus to Blacklion and Rathdown Rd Colourised

Mr Trent, George Thompson & his father Alexander from Glencoe North Beach Cottages Colourised

North Beach 1929 Colourised

George Archer, Mr & Mrs Sam Evans, Jim Byrne, Jim Whiston, Mrs Jimmy Evans, Ber Curling & Francis Daly North Beach Cottages 1930

Removing slates after the storm Colourised North Beach Cottages

Room With A View North Beach Cottages 1929 Colourised

North Beach Cottages Colourised

You can check out the history of The Jubilee Castle – aka, The Rosetta Fort – here, and another battering storm here.