List of piers in the United Kingdom

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Brighton Palace Pier at dusk

This is a list of extant and former coastal piers in the United Kingdom and Isle of Man and piers on the river Thames.[1]

Coastal piers[edit]

England[edit]

Name Place Ceremonial county Opened Length Pier of
the Year
Listed
grade
Description Image
Central Pier Blackpool Lancashire 30 May 1868 1,118 feet (341 m) Originally 1,518 feet (463 m) long.
South Pier Blackpool Lancashire 31 March 1893 492 feet (150 m) Contains a theme park.
North Pier Blackpool Lancashire 21 May 1863 1,318 feet (402 m) 2004 II Eugenius Birch's earliest surviving pier. Originally 1,410 feet (430 m) long.
Bognor Regis Pier Bognor Regis West Sussex 5 May 1865 350 feet (110 m) 1985
Bournemouth Pier Bournemouth Dorset 17 September 1861 1,000 feet (300 m) Zip wire installed in 2014, spanning between the pierhead and the beach. Original pier consisted of a wooden jetty opened in 1856.
Boscombe Pier Bournemouth Dorset 29 July 1889 720 feet (220 m) 2010
Palace Pier Brighton East Sussex 20 May 1899 1,722 feet (525 m) 1998 II*
Burnham-on-Sea Pier Burnham-on-Sea Somerset 1858 90 feet (27 m) Claims to be Britain's shortest pier. It is not recognised by most authorities as it is simply a beach pavilion.
Clacton Pier Clacton-on-Sea Essex 27 July 1871 1,180 feet (360 m) 2020 II
Cleethorpes Pier Cleethorpes Lincolnshire 4 August 1873 335 feet (102 m) 2016
Clevedon Pier Clevedon Somerset 29 March 1869 1,020 feet (310 m) 1999, 2013, 2021 I
Cromer Pier Cromer Norfolk 8 June 1901 495 feet (151 m) 2000, 2015 II
Deal Pier Deal Kent 19 November 1957 1,026 feet (313 m) 2008 One of the last pleasure piers to be built in the UK. Pre-dated by two original piers, built in 1838 and 1864.
Eastbourne Pier Eastbourne East Sussex 13 June 1870 1,000 feet (300 m) 1997 II*
Prince of Wales Pier Falmouth Cornwall 5 May 1905
Felixstowe Pier Felixstowe Suffolk August 1905 450 feet (140 m) Major redevelopments in 2017, involving construction of a new amusement building. There are currently no plans to re-open the seaward end.
Folkestone Harbour Arm Folkestone Kent 1904 1,600 feet (490 m)[2] II (lighthouse)[3] First used from 1904 as a port pier for ferries to Boulogne, France. Re-opened in 2016. Used as a pleasure pier, and for fishing.
Gravesend Town Gravesend Kent 1834 172 feet (52 m) On the Thames, and not a seaside pier recognised by most authorities.
Royal Terrace Gravesend Kent 1844 On the Thames. Not recognised as a seaside pier by most authorities.
Britannia Pier Great Yarmouth Norfolk 13 July 1858 810 feet (250 m)
Wellington Pier Great Yarmouth Norfolk 31 October 1853 700 feet (210 m)
Ha'penny Pier Harwich Essex July 1853 Not a seaside pier recognised by most authorities.
Hastings Pier Hastings East Sussex 5 August 1872 912 feet (278 m) 2017 Pier of the Year following extensive restoration.
Herne Bay Pier Herne Bay Kent 1899 Majority of pier destroyed in a storm in 1978. The shoreward 'stub' is still open, and the pier head remains isolated 1 km (0.6 mi) into the sea.
Hythe Pier Hythe Hampshire 1 January 1881 2,100 feet (640 m) II Oldest continually running pier train in the world.[4]
Claremont Pier Lowestoft Suffolk 1903 600 feet (180 m) Pier decking not open for public use.
South Pier Lowestoft Suffolk 1846 1,320 feet (400 m)
St Annes Pier Lytham St Annes Lancashire 15 June 1885 600 feet (180 m) II
Paignton Pier Paignton Devon June 1879 780 feet (240 m)
Ryde Pier Ryde Isle of Wight 26 July 1814 2,234 feet (681 m) II The UK's oldest pleasure pier. Island Line runs along entire length.
Saltburn Pier Saltburn-by-the-Sea North Yorkshire May 1869 681 feet (208 m) 2009 II*
Culver Pier Sandown Isle of Wight 29 May 1878 870 feet (270 m)
Skegness Pier Skegness Lincolnshire 4 June 1881 387 feet (118 m) Seaward section destroyed in a 1978 storm.
Royal Pier Southampton Hampshire 8 July 1833 900 feet (270 m) II Closed 1980. Currently in very poor condition. Now classified as a Lost Pier.
Southend Pier Southend-on-Sea Essex 1830 6,900 feet (2,100 m) 2007 II The longest pleasure pier in the world, extending 2.1 kilometres (1.3 mi) into the Thames Estuary.
Southport Pier Southport Merseyside 2 August 1860 3,536 feet (1,078 m) 2003 II
South Parade Pier Southsea Hampshire 26 July 1879 600 feet (180 m) Re-opened 2017.
Clarence Pier Southsea Hampshire 1861 203 feet (62 m) Three times wider than it is long, going along the beach rather than out to sea. The full pier is an amusement park.
Southwold Pier Southwold Suffolk 1900 623 feet (190 m) 2002 Includes a collection of modern coin-operated novelty machines.
Swanage Pier Swanage Dorset 29 March 1897 643 feet (196 m) 2012
Grand Pier Teignmouth Devon 1867 696 feet (212 m)
Princess Pier Torquay Devon 1890
Totland Pier Totland Bay Isle of Wight 1880
Walton Pier Walton-on-the-Naze Essex 1871 2,610 feet (800 m) Originally built to a length of 530 feet (160 m) in 1871. The pier was extended and re-opened in August 1898.
Grand Pier Weston-super-Mare Somerset 11 June 1904 1,201 feet (366 m) 2011
Birnbeck Pier Weston-super-Mare Somerset 5 June 1867 1,150 feet (350 m) II* Closed since 1994. One of the few surviving Eugenius Birch piers. Restoration underway.
Weymouth Pier Weymouth Dorset 1860 787 feet (240 m) Weymouth Stone Pier is a breakwater. Weymouth Pleasure pier is described as a "man-made peninsula".
Worthing Pier Worthing West Sussex 12 April 1862 960 feet (290 m) 2006, 2019 II
Yarmouth Pier Yarmouth Isle of Wight 1876 610 feet (190 m)

Scotland[edit]

Name Place Opened Length Pier of the Year Listed
grade
Description Image
Dunoon Pier Dunoon 1889 370 feet (110 m) Not recognised a seaside pier by most authorities. Built as a working pier rather than a pleasure pier.
Helensburgh Pier Helensburgh 1860 804 feet (245 m) Not recognised a seaside pier by most authorities. Category C listed structure.[5] Closed to marine traffic since October 2018.[6] Helensburgh Pier
Kilcreggan Pier Kilcreggan 279 feet (85 m) Not recognised a seaside pier by most authorities. Passenger-only ferry to Gourock.[7]
Rothesay Pier Rothesay 433 feet (132 m) Not recognised as a seaside pier by most authorities. Serves as a ferry terminal and small marina rather than a pleasure pier.
Fort William Pier Fort William 1,538 feet (469 m) Not recognised as a seaside pier by most authorities.

Wales[edit]

Name Place Opened Length Pier of the Year Listed
grade
Description Image
Royal Pier Aberystwyth 1865 794 feet (242 m)
Garth Pier Bangor 14 May 1896 1,510 feet (460 m) 2022 II* Reopened in 1988.
Beaumaris Pier Beaumaris 1846 570 feet (170 m) Refurbished 2011–2012.
Llandudno Pier Llandudno 1 August 1877 2,295 feet (700 m) 2005 II*
Mumbles Pier Mumbles, Swansea 10 May 1898 835 feet (255 m) II
Penarth Pier Penarth February 1895 650 feet (200 m) 2014 II

Isle of Man[edit]

Name Place Opened Length Pier of the Year Listed
grade
Description Image
Queen's Pier Ramsey, Isle of Man 22 July 1886 2,241 feet (683 m) Closed June 1990; restoration started 2016; first three bays reopened July 2021.[8]

Piers in London on the River Thames[edit]

Former piers[edit]

Name Place Opened Length Pier of the Year Listed grade Description Image
West Pier Brighton 6 October 1866 1,115 feet (340 m) I Closed in 1975 and subsequently fell into disrepair. Now classified as a lost pier.
Victoria Pier Colwyn Bay 1 June 1900 750 feet (230 m) II Closed since 2008. Partial collapse in 2017, leading to the demolition of the seaward end.
Leith Trinity Chain Edinburgh 14 August 1821 627 feet (191 m) Effectively closed in the 1850s and described as "deserted and ruinous" then destroyed by a storm on 18 October 1898.[9]
Portobello Pier Edinburgh 1871 1,250 feet (380 m) Designed by Sir Thomas Bouch, engineer who also designed the infamous Tay Bridge. Demolished in 1917 after repairs to storm damage bankrupted the owner.[10] Portobello Pier
Fleetwood Pier Fleetwood 16 May 1910 492 feet (150 m) Destroyed by fire in 2008, hence a lost pier.
Lytham Pier Lytham 17 April 1865 914 feet (279 m) Closed to the public before World War II following a period of decline. Demolished in 1960 despite protests from thousands of local residents.
Central Pier[11] Morecambe 25 March 1869 912 feet (278 m) Demolished 1992.
West End Pier[12] Morecambe 1896 1,800 feet (550 m) Demolished 1978.
New Brighton Pier New Brighton 1867 600 feet (180 m) Demolished 1978.
Aberavon Pier Port Talbot 1898 900 feet (270 m) Owned by British Transport Commission after being lost in 1962. Now a breakwater.
Redcar Pier Redcar 2 June 1873 1,300 feet (400 m) Closed and demolished in 1980.
Rhos-on-Sea Pier[13] Rhos-on-Sea, North Wales 1895 1,300 feet (400 m) Lost in 1954.
Rhyl Pier Rhyl 19 August 1867 2,355 feet (718 m) Demolished in 1973.
Scarborough North Pier Scarborough 1868 1,000 feet (300 m) Lost in 1905.
Shanklin Pier Shanklin 1890 1,200 feet (370 m) Demolished in February 1993.
St Leonards Pier[14] St Leonards-on-Sea 1891 950 feet (290 m) Damaged by bombing, gales and fire during WW2. Demolished 1951–55.
Royal Victoria Pier[15] Tenby 1899 330 feet (100 m) Constructed as 230 feet (70 m) structure and later extended. Lost in 1953.
Weymouth Pier Bandstand Weymouth 25 May 1939 200 feet (61 m) Majority of pier demolished in 1986; only the entrance building remains on 48 feet (15 m) of the pier.[16] Thus not a seaside pier any longer.
Withernsea Pier[17] Withernsea August 1877 1,196 feet (365 m) Partial destruction by storm in 1882 and ship collisions in 1890 and 1893. Last remaining section removed in 1903.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "(Surviving Piers)". National Piers Society. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  2. ^ "PROPOSED FOLKESTONE HARBOUR REVISION ORDER 2016 - Section 4.3" (PDF). Government Publishing Assets Service. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  3. ^ "Folkestone Harbour Seafront Development Co. - Folkestone's New Social Hub". Folkestone Harbour Seafront Development Co. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  4. ^ "Historic England: Seaside heritage sites given listed status". BBC News. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Helensburgh pier given listed status by Historic Environment Scotland". Helensburgh Advertiser. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  6. ^ "New plans for Helensburgh pier repairs get the green light". Helensburgh Advertiser. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Rosneath: Gourock - Kilcreggan". CalMac Ferries. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  8. ^ "Isle of Man's Queen's Pier opens as restoration moves forward". BBC News. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  9. ^ "Leith Trinity Chain - National Piers Society". 19 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  10. ^ "Portobello - National Piers Society". 19 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  11. ^ "Morecambe Central Pier – National Piers Society". Piers.org.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Morecambe West Pier - National Piers Society". Archived from the original on 5 August 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  13. ^ "Rhos-on-Sea Pier". National Piers Society. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  14. ^ "St Leonards Pier". The Hastings Chronicle. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Royal Victoria Pier". National Piers Society. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  16. ^ "Weymouth Pier Bandstand - National Piers Society". 28 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  17. ^ "Withernsea". National Piers Society. Retrieved 19 April 2021.