Penarth Pier facts for kids
The pier pavilion
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| Type | Cast iron screw piers, cast iron supports, wooden deck |
|---|---|
| Carries | Pedestrians |
| Spans | Bristol Channel |
| Locale | Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales |
| Design | H. F. Edwards |
| Construction | Mayohs Brothers |
| Owner | Vale of Glamorgan Council |
| Total length | As built:750 feet (230 m) Present: 650 feet (200 m) |
| AADT | None |
| Opening date | February 1895 |
| Coordinates | 51°26′6.31″N 3°9′59.43″W / 51.4350861°N 3.1665083°W |
Penarth Pier is a famous pier from the Victorian era located in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales. It opened in 1898 and quickly became a popular spot for people visiting the seaside. Many enjoyed taking trips on pleasure steamers that left from the pier.
Over the years, the pier has been damaged several times by ships hitting it. In 1931, a fire broke out in one of its wooden buildings. This building was never replaced. However, a concrete building, called a pavilion, has been used for many things like concerts, dances, and even a cinema. Today, it is home to the Penarth Pier Pavilion.
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Why Was Penarth Pier Built?
Penarth beach became very popular in the mid-1800s. People also needed better ways to travel to and from Cardiff. Because of this, a company started a regular ferry service between Cardiff and Penarth in 1856. This service continued until 1903.
At first, boats were loaded and unloaded using a special landing stage on wheels. This stage had to be pulled up the beach. As larger boats started to arrive, a safer way to unload them was needed. In the 1880s, there was an attempt to build a permanent pier. However, the company building it went out of business, and the work stopped early.
How Was Penarth Pier Constructed?
After the first attempt failed, a new company was formed. It was called the Penarth Promenade and Landing Company Ltd. Their goal was to try again to build a permanent pier.
The pier was designed by H. F. Edwards. Construction began in 1894 by Mayohs Brothers. They used cast iron for the screw piers and supports, and wood for the deck. The pier successfully opened in 1895. It was originally 750 feet (230 m) long.
The Pier's Story Through the Years
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The pier officially opened in 1898. It was built by James & Arthur Mayoh, with help from local engineer Herbert Francis Edwards. The pier was 658 ft (200 m) long. It couldn't be made longer because it might block the deep water path into Cardiff Docks.
The pier was made of cast iron with a wooden deck. It was used for people to walk along and as a place for steamships to dock. These pleasure steamers offered popular cruises in the Bristol Channel. In 1907, a small wooden theatre was added at the far end of the pier.
The Pier During Wartime
During World War I, the pleasure steamers were used as minesweepers by the military. The army also took over the pier. After the war, the landing stage was badly damaged. The money received for the damage was not enough to fix it.
The pier then went through a difficult time. In 1929, the Penarth Borough Council bought it. A new concrete landing stage was built at the sea end. In 1930, a beautiful Art Deco pavilion was built at the shore end. This building was made of ferro-concrete.
Fire and Rebuilding
On a Bank holiday in August 1931, a fire started in the wooden theatre. More than 800 people were rescued from the pier. Firefighters worked for three days until the fire burned itself out. A large part of the pier was destroyed.
The pier was rebuilt for £3,157. However, the wooden pavilion was not replaced. The remaining pavilion hosted concerts and shows. But as people's interests changed, it became a cinema. This didn't work out well, and the cinema closed. After another try as a concert hall, it reopened in 1934 as the Marina Ballroom. This was very popular until World War II started in 1939. During the war, the paddle steamers were taken by the military, and the pier closed to the public.
Collisions and Repairs
In 1947, a large Canadian cargo ship called SS Port Royal Park crashed into the pier during a storm. This caused serious damage. The deck was shattered and bent, and more than seventy of the main cast-iron supports were broken or moved.
Repairs took two years and cost £28,000. New concrete columns were added to support the pier. The pier reopened in 1950. In August 1966, another pleasure steamer, PS Bristol Queen, hit the pier in thick fog. This caused about £25,000 worth of damage.
The last regular paddle steamer service stopped in 1966. Although the MV Balmoral continued cruises for a while, all cruises from the pier ended in 1982.
Modern Restoration Efforts
In 1994, a restoration project costing £650,000 was finished. This included fixing the rotting parts of the pier's structure. Some of this old wood is now sold in the souvenir shop. In 1996, a £1.7 million project began to replace steelwork, decking, and the boat landing area.
The final restoration was completed after a £1.1 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The 650 feet (200 m) pier officially reopened in May 1998.
The Pier Pavilion Today
The Art Deco Pier Pavilion, designed in 1929 and opened in 1930, was built by the council. It was used for traditional seaside entertainment and concerts. Since it didn't have heating, it wasn't used much in winter. Over time, it was also a cinema, a dance hall (Marina Ballroom), and a nightclub.
From the 1960s, different businesses rented the pavilion. It was used as a restaurant and a snooker club. In 1961, former Olympics gymnast Gwynedd Lingard started the Penarth and District Gymnastics Club there. Today, this club is the only tenant.
In 2008, a charity called Penarth Arts & Crafts Ltd (PACL) was formed to restore the pavilion. In 2009, PACL received a grant to plan the detailed restoration. They developed a £3.9 million plan to turn the pavilion into a cinema, cafe, observatory, and community center. After getting permission, PACL received another £1.68 million in 2011. The project was finished in 2013, and it is now known as the Penarth Pier Pavilion.
What Can You Do at Penarth Pier Now?
The Vale of Glamorgan Council owns the pier, and it is open all year. You can go sea fishing from the pier head without a license, except in June, July, and August.
The Penarth Pier Pavilion has an art gallery, an auditorium, and a cinema that seats seventy people. It also has a shop, a bar, and a tea room with a great view of the Bristol Channel.
Dr. David Trotman became the director in 2013. He said he was excited to help the community and that the "iconic pier site would be used to educate, inform and entertain." Since then, the outside of the pavilion has been updated. New zinc tiles have replaced the old faded paint on the roof and domes.
The National Piers Society voted Penarth Pier "Pier of the Year" in 2014. Since 2007, the pier has been shown on the Welsh TV channel S4C as part of its on-air look. The pier also appeared in a 2008 BBC Torchwood episode called "To the Last Man". In the episode, characters Tosh and Tommy share a moment on the pier.
In 2018, Marta Ghermandi was appointed as the new director by the Penarth Arts and Crafts Limited Board.
Images for kids
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An aerial photograph of the pier in 2006
