About Kathryn

Kathryn Ferry is an independent architectural historian, writer and lecturer.  Her research interests include seaside history and Victorian architecture, specifically the work of designer Owen Jones.  Although she grew up near the sea in North Devon it was not until her early twenties, when she began taking day trips to the East Anglian coast, that Kathryn discovered a passion for beach huts.  She continued to pursue this new love while studying for her PhD at Cambridge University and in the summer of 2002, went on a two-month journey around the English coast to record the state of the nation’s huts.  She has been researching their history ever since and is now acknowledged as the national beach hut expert.

Kathryn at Westward Ho!

Kathryn has contributed to many newspaper articles on the subject of beach huts and has appeared on radio and TV, including the popular BBC 2 series ‘Coast.’ Click: VIDEO to see Kathryn on film!!...

Kathryn's Books

Sheds on the Seashore: a Tour Through Beach Hut History
Following on from her research, Kathryn is writing a book entitled ‘Sheds on the Seashore: a Tour Through Beach Hut History’. This book tells the fascinating and often comic story of how the humble beach hut evolved from a changing cubicle on wheels into a highly desirable piece of seaside property. Its history goes back further in time that people imagine but, as the quirky human stories from Kathryn’s travels demonstrate, it remains a vital and much-loved icon of the seaside. 'Sheds on the Seashore’ is a popular history book aimed at everyone who has ever had a beach hut or holidayed by the English seaside.

Kathryn has also just finished 'Beach Huts and Bathing Machines' which will be published by Shire in February 2009.  Full of illustrations, this book looks at the design of beach huts past and present. Watch this space for more details...

Looking for a lecturer?
Kathryn regularly gives talks about beach huts, as well as seaside history and architecture.  If you’d like to book her to give a talk to your group then please send an e-mail to

Could your beach hut be a prize-winner?
As part of National Shed Week our friends at readersheds.co.uk run a competition to find the Shed of the Year.  This year they are extending the categories to include beach huts for the first time.  If you think your hut has what it takes to be Hut of the Year then why not enter at http://www.readersheds.co.uk/shedme.cfm  Kathryn will be on the judging panel with TV presenter Sarah Beenie and inventor Trevor Baylis.  Let’s show those sheddies what hutters are made of!  

Beach huts of the Future
In 2006 Kathryn was a member of the judging panel for ‘Bathing Beauties’, an international architectural competition to design a beach hut for the twenty-first century.  With more than 240 entries from around the world, choosing the best designs was a tough job but the winners have now been constructed along the Lincolnshire coast where they’re available for hire.  Why not try out a designer beach hut for your next holiday?  For more information go to www.bathingbeauties.org.uk

Beach hut owners’ associations unite
There are lots of places around the British coast where associations have been set up to look out for the interests of beach hut owners.  Now there is an organisation that seeks to bring all these associations together to represent owners at a national level.  For more information on how to get involved see the National Association of Beach Hut Owners (NABHO) website at www.nabho.org.uk

To Contact Kathryn
If you have stories to share of trivia on beach huts then Kathryn would love to hear from you... Email:

Read Kathryn's Short History of Beach Huts>>