In 1821, the British king visited Howth on his 59th birthday, and while he was visiting the town, he was approached by local stone mason Robert Campbell who recorded the king’s footprints to commemorate the visit. He was the son of King George III and visited Howth on August 17 a few weeks after his coronation on July 19, 1821. He was supposed to arrive in Dun Laoghaire but accidentally landed in Howth. Dun Laoghaire was then renamed Kingstown in his honor (and later changed back)….
