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Work has started - and stopped - on the fence of the enclosure along Coast Road known locally as 'Grannie's Playground'. The reason is the concern for the safety of pedestrians. The enclosure has been there for over one hundred years and was originally for use of the local Coastguard. There used to be a hut on the site with a stove for the comfort of the men in winter. The hut disappeared either during WW2, or soon after, but I believe the concrete step is still there. The work involved now is to cut off the points on the top of the iron railings which, after all this time, are considered dangerous.

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There is a fine postcard taken on Regatta Day 1911 and published by Thomas Hammond showing a Berry's bus passing by, leaving a cloud of dust on it's way down to the Watersports. The view also shows the tall flagpole with flags flying. The Mersea Coastguards used to signal the Tollesbury Coastguard Station by these flags but on this occasion they are a random display just for the day.

It is possible that prior to this enclosure the Coastguard men used to look out from a building in the corner of Orleans Garden, as the men lived in separate houses in the village. There is a suggestion that this small building became known as the Monkey House because the men looked like monkeys in a cage - at least that's one theory as to how the Monkey Steps and Monkey Beach got their names.

A Coastguard Station was built in what was then Captains Road. Names change - that part of Captains Road became Churchfields, and the Coastguard Station was generally known as Coastguard Cottages in later years. There were 10 houses in the Station for the men and their families, and an Armoury at the bottom of the gardens. The men had a footpath from the Station down to the enclosure on Coast Road.

By WW2, the Coastguard Cottages were used for accommodation by the Council, along with the many other Council Houses they owned. Coastguard Cottages were burnt out in October 1949 - an event still well remembered by several local people who were victims. The site is now Coastguard Gardens in Churchfields.

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Published in Mersea Life January 2024