Swanage Pier facts for kids
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| Official name | Swanage Pier |
|---|---|
| Type | Passenger and pleasure pier |
| Locale | Swanage |
| Design | Eugenius Birch |
| Owner | West Pier Trust |
| Total length | 642.5 feet (195.8 m) |
| Opening date | 1895 |
| Coordinates | 50°36′32″N 1°57′01″W / 50.6090°N 1.9504°W |
Swanage Pier is a historic pier that stretches out into Swanage Bay in Dorset, England. It was built a long time ago, in 1895, during the Victorian era. Its main purpose was to help passenger ships bring people to and from the town.
The pier is located on the eastern coast of the Isle of Purbeck. It's about 10 kilometers south of Poole and 40 kilometers east of Dorchester in the United Kingdom. Before this pier, there was an older one, built in 1860. That one was mostly used by local stone quarries to ship out stone. Today, only some of its wooden posts remain.
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The Story of Swanage Pier
Swanage Pier has an interesting history, actually involving two piers!
The First Pier: For Stone
The very first Swanage Pier was built between 1859 and 1860. It was about 228 meters long. This pier was mainly used by the local stone industry. There was even a special tramway that ran along the pier and part of the seafront. You can still see parts of the old tracks in the seafront walkways today!
The Second Pier: For People
Later, in 1874, a local businessman named George Burt started regular steamer services. These boats took people between Swanage and nearby towns like Poole and Bournemouth. Because more and more people were visiting, a new pier was needed just for passengers.
Construction on this new pier began in 1895. By 1896, the first steamer used it. The pier officially opened on March 29, 1897. Regular steamer services continued on this new pier until 1966. Meanwhile, the older stone pier slowly fell apart as the stone industry declined.
Saving the Pier
After the steamer services stopped in 1966, the newer pier also started to get old and damaged. In 1976, it was given a special status as a Grade II listed building. This means it's an important historical structure.
In 1994, a group called the Swanage Pier Trust took over the pier. They worked hard to raise over £1,000,000! This money was used to fix the pier's foundations, wood, and metal parts. Thanks to their efforts, the pier was fully reopened in 1998.
What Can You Do at Swanage Pier Today?
Today, Swanage Pier is a popular spot for everyone to enjoy!
Ferry Rides and Historic Boats
During the summer, you can take small ferry rides from the pier. These often go to Poole Quay. The pier also welcomes historic steamers every year, like the famous Waverley paddle steamer.
A Great Place for Diving
Swanage Pier is a very popular place for scuba diving lessons and exploring. It's one of the few sheltered diving spots on the south coast. The water here is also quite shallow, only about 4 meters deep. This makes it a safe and easy place for divers to learn.
Many different kinds of marine life live under the pier. Because of this, the Marine Conservation Society South East uses the pier for their training dives. They teach people how to identify marine animals and take underwater photos. It's also easy to get to the pier from nearby car parks, and there's a dive shop close by.
Visitor Facilities
The Swanage Pier Trust also runs a gift shop and an exhibition. The exhibition is located in Marine Villas, right at the start of the pier. It has lots of information for visitors. There's even a small aquarium where you can see the types of sea creatures that live under the pier! If you get hungry, you can visit the 1859 Pier Cafe & Bistro for food and drinks.
More than 100,000 people visit Swanage Pier every year!
Awards and Fame
In 2012, the restored pier was given the "Pier of The Year" award by the National Piers Society. It is still a Grade II listed building, showing its historical importance.
Swanage Pier has even been featured on TV! It was used as a filming location for the BBC's 2017 TV show Howards End, which was based on a novel by EM Forster.
