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List of piers in the United Kingdom facts for kids

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

Coastal piers

England

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. Central Pier - geograph.org.uk - 528111.jpg
South Pier Blackpool Lancashire 31 March 1893 492 feet (150 m) Contains a theme park. South pier, Blackpool - DSC07077.JPG
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. North Pier, Blackpool.jpg
Bognor Regis Pier Bognor Regis West Sussex 5 May 1865 350 feet (110 m) 1985 Bognor Regis Pier - geograph.org.uk - 1751557.jpg
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. Bournemouth pier 2021.JPG
Boscombe Pier Bournemouth Dorset 29 July 1889 720 feet (220 m) 2010 Boscombe Pier 2021.JPG
Palace Pier Brighton East Sussex 20 May 1899 1,722 feet (525 m) 1998 II* Brighton Pier 2006.jpg
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. Burnham Pier from north.jpg
Clacton Pier Clacton-on-Sea Essex 27 July 1871 1,180 feet (360 m) 2020 II Clacton pier 700.jpg
Cleethorpes Pier Cleethorpes Lincolnshire 4 August 1873 335 feet (102 m) 2016 Cleethorpes Pier.jpg
Clevedon Pier Clevedon Somerset 29 March 1869 1,020 feet (310 m) 1999, 2013, 2021 I Clevedon Pier from beach.jpg
Cromer Pier Cromer Norfolk 8 June 1901 495 feet (151 m) 2000, 2015 II Cromer Pier, Cromer, Norfolk, England-2Jan2012.jpg
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. Deal Pier.JPG
Eastbourne Pier Eastbourne East Sussex 13 June 1870 1,000 feet (300 m) 1997 II* Eastbourne Pier - geograph.org.uk - 1478224.jpg
Prince of Wales Pier Falmouth Cornwall 5 May 1905 Falmouth Town Pier - geograph.org.uk - 197888.jpg
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. The Pier, Felixstowe - geograph.org.uk - 1467954.jpg
Folkestone Harbour Arm Folkestone Kent 1904 1,600 feet (490 m) II (lighthouse) 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. GravesendThames3370.JPG
Royal Terrace Gravesend Kent 1844 On the Thames. Royal Terrace Pier and London River House, Gravesend.JPGNot recognised as a seaside pier by most authorities.
Britannia Pier Great Yarmouth Norfolk 13 July 1858 810 feet (250 m) Britannia Pier, Great Yarmouth - geograph.org.uk - 346438.jpg
Wellington Pier Great Yarmouth Norfolk 31 October 1853 700 feet (210 m) Wellington Pier at night.jpg
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. Beach and Pier, Hastings - geograph.org.uk - 1563686.jpg
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. 3rd Herne Bay Pier 1899-1908 001.jpg
Hythe Pier Hythe Hampshire 1 January 1881 2,100 feet (640 m) II Oldest continually running pier train in the world. Hythe pier from a red funnel ferry.JPG
Claremont Pier Lowestoft Suffolk 1903 600 feet (180 m) Pier decking not open for public use. Claremont Pier 2016.jpg
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 St Anne's Pier - geograph.org.uk - 95732.jpg
Paignton Pier Paignton Devon June 1879 780 feet (240 m) 20190505 145903 corel 4 cr2.jpg
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. Ryde Pier.JPG
Saltburn Pier Saltburn-by-the-Sea North Yorkshire May 1869 681 feet (208 m) 2009 II* Saltburn Pier - geograph.org.uk - 1776103.jpg
Culver Pier Sandown Isle of Wight 29 May 1878 870 feet (270 m) Sandown Pier Isle of Wight England.jpg
Skegness Pier Skegness Lincolnshire 4 June 1881 387 feet (118 m) Seaward section destroyed in a 1978 storm. Skegness Pier. - geograph.org.uk - 15134.jpg
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. Lighting up the evening gloom, Royal Pier, Southampton - geograph.org.uk - 1715333.jpg
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. Southend Pier Autumn 2007 - crop.jpg
Southport Pier Southport Merseyside 2 August 1860 3,536 feet (1,078 m) 2003 II Southport Pier 1.JPG
South Parade Pier Southsea Hampshire 26 July 1879 600 feet (180 m) Re-opened 2017. South Parade Pier 2011.JPG
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. Clarence Pier Amusement Park - geograph.org.uk - 1702589.jpg
Southwold Pier Southwold Suffolk 1900 623 feet (190 m) 2002 Includes a collection of modern coin-operated novelty machines. Southwold Pier1 KevinScottNL 2005.jpg
Swanage Pier Swanage Dorset 29 March 1897 643 feet (196 m) 2012 Swanage Pier at Dusk.jpg
Grand Pier Teignmouth Devon 1867 696 feet (212 m) Mini-dodgems, on Teignmouth Pier - geograph.org.uk - 1425295.jpg
Princess Pier Torquay Devon 1890 Princess Pier, Torquay - geograph.org.uk - 830062.jpg
Totland Pier Totland Bay Isle of Wight 1880 Totland Pier in May 2007.jpg
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. Walton Pier - geograph.org.uk - 880081.jpg
Grand Pier Weston-super-Mare Somerset 11 June 1904 1,201 feet (366 m) 2011 2011 at Weston-super-Mare Grand Pier - pavilion.JPG
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. Birnbeck Pier and Island.jpg
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". The Stone Pier, Weymouth - geograph.org.uk - 23221.jpg
Worthing Pier Worthing West Sussex 12 April 1862 960 feet (290 m) 2006, 2019 II Worthing Pier at sunset, low tide.JPG
Yarmouth Pier Yarmouth Isle of Wight 1876 610 feet (190 m) Yarmouth Pier in October 2011.JPG

Scotland

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. Harbour at Dunoon - geograph.org.uk - 49147.jpg
Helensburgh Pier Helensburgh 1860 804 feet (245 m) Not recognised a seaside pier by most authorities. Category C listed structure. Closed to marine traffic since October 2018. Helensburgh Pier
Kilcreggan Pier Kilcreggan 279 feet (85 m) Not recognised a seaside pier by most authorities. Passenger-only ferry to Gourock. Kilcreggan Pier.jpg
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. Rothesay Pier from Rothesay Bay - geograph.org.uk - 2556582.jpg
Fort William Pier Fort William 1,538 feet (469 m) Not recognised as a seaside pier by most authorities. Fort Willam Pier - geograph.org.uk - 140945.jpg

Wales

Name Place Opened Length Pier of the Year Listed
grade
Description Image
Royal Pier Aberystwyth 1865 794 feet (242 m) Aberystwyth Pier - geograph.org.uk - 1166324.jpg
Garth Pier Bangor 14 May 1896 1,510 feet (460 m) 2022 II* Reopened in 1988. BangorPier7143293.jpg
Beaumaris Pier Beaumaris 1846 570 feet (170 m) Refurbished 2011–2012. Beaumaris Pier - geograph.org.uk - 693339.jpg
Llandudno Pier Llandudno 1 August 1877 2,295 feet (700 m) 2005 II* Another angle of Llandudno Pier. - geograph.org.uk - 57921.jpg
Mumbles Pier Mumbles, Swansea 10 May 1898 835 feet (255 m) II MumblesPier.jpg
Penarth Pier Penarth February 1895 650 feet (200 m) 2014 II Penarth Pier 2013.jpg

Isle of Man

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. The Queens Pier Tram, Ramsey, Isle of Man - geograph.org.uk - 262557.jpg

Piers in London on the River Thames

Former piers

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. West Pier, Brighton - geograph.org.uk - 809050.jpg
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. Victoria Pier, Colwyn Bay - geograph.org.uk - 527462.jpg
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.
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. Portobello Pier
Fleetwood Pier Fleetwood 16 May 1910 492 feet (150 m) Destroyed by fire in 2008, hence a lost pier. Fleetwood Pier - geograph.org.uk - 1237426.jpg
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. Lytham Pier C1920.jpg
Central Pier Morecambe 25 March 1869 912 feet (278 m) Demolished 1992. Morecambe Central Pier pavilions c1900.png
West End Pier Morecambe 1896 1,800 feet (550 m) Demolished 1978. West End Pier, Morecambe, England-LCCN2002697087.jpg
New Brighton Pier New Brighton 1867 600 feet (180 m) Demolished 1978. New Brighton Pier, c1914.jpg
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. Redcar, the pier, Yorkshire, England-LCCN2002708316.jpg
Rhos-on-Sea Pier 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. Rhyl, View From The Pier (8513049573).jpg
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. Shanklin Pier 9sep1964.jpg
St Leonards Pier St Leonards-on-Sea 1891 950 feet (290 m) Damaged by bombing, gales and fire during WW2. Demolished 1951–55. St.Leonards Pier. St.Leonards on sea (15454717136).jpg
Royal Victoria Pier 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. Thus not a seaside pier any longer. The Pier Bandstand, The Esplanade, Weymouth.JPG
Withernsea Pier 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

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