Depending on how you measure it, the UK has between 8,000 and 19,500 miles of coastline. This discrepancy is largely because our coastline is so wiggly. Using small-scale mapping produces the lower figure, but more detailed cartography – which shows every bay and inlet – yields the larger total.
According to popular belief, all of the UK coast is owned by the King. Actually, only about 45% of the total length of foreshore (the area between high and low tide) is held by the monarch through the Crown Estate. The rest is owned by local authorities, the Ministry of Defence, individuals and charities, including 900 miles managed by the National Trust.
What is the Crown Estate?
The Crown Estate is a slightly complex body. Although owned by the King, it acts semi-independently on behalf of the nation with the stated aims of “supporting the UK towards a net zero and energy secure future”, “helping create inclusive communities and economic growth” and “stewarding the natural environment and biodiversity”.
The Crown Estate administers lands worth nearly £16 billion; these generate revenue. For example, along the coastline, the Crown Estate earns money from leases for ports, marinas, undersea cables and offshore wind power. Revenue is paid to the monarch and the Treasury – the latter figure amounting to some £4.1 billion over the 10 years to 2024.
Why does the Crown Estate own UK beaches?
It stems from the events of 1066. After victory over King Harold II at Hastings, William of Normandy claimed all of England as his – including the coast and seabed. In time these ‘crown estates’ came to include property in Wales, Scotland and Ireland (later just Northern Ireland), and were administered directly by the monarch and the court.
In 1760, George III handed control of the Crown Estates to the Treasury, in return for an annual fixed payment (then, from 2012, a share of Crown Estate revenue). The Treasury managed the Crown Estate until 1961, when the modern-day independent body was created.
So what’s the impact of Crown Estate ownership on beaches and our use of them? In general, Crown Estate coastal property is open freely to the public, so you can walk and swim at your leisure. Large sections of the King Charles III England Coast Path run through Crown Estate land.
However, permission may be required for commercial activities or activities that might impact on the environment or public safety. For instance, if you wish to use a drone or a metal detector on Crown Estate property, you will need prior consent. Beach cleans, which are always good things, may also need permission due to the health and safety issues that potentially affect groups working close to tidal waters.
It’s worth bearing in mind that any whale or sturgeon (a large bony fish) washed up on an English beach belongs to the King by royal prerogative. This right to ‘royal fish’ has been recognised since 1324, during the reign of Edward II, and underlines the historic high value of these species.
In Scotland, the law is slightly different – only whales “measuring more than 25 feet from the snout to the middle of the tail” are regarded as royal fish (despite being mammals!).
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Top image: Southend Beach at Essex. Credit: Getty
