Sussex Piers - East Sussex - West Sussex - Ports, Piers - Ferry Photographs

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Sussex Piers

East Sussex - West Sussex


This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the piers of the counties of East and West Sussex.


Sections on this Page:-
Bognor Pier
Brighton Chain Pier
Brighton Palace Pier
Brighton West Pier
Eastbourne Pier
Hastings Pier
Littlehampton
St Leonards Pier
Worthing Pier

Other Sussex Pages:-
Sussex Excursion Vessels
Bognor Pier - Additional 2007 images
Eastbourne Pier - Additional 2006 & 2007 images
Worthing Pier - Additional 2007 images
Allchorn Pleasure Boats - Eastbourne-Beachy Head Services
Bodiam Ferry Company - Newenden Bridge-Bodiam Castle service
British Railways/Sealink - Page 6 - Newhaven Services
Chichester - Chichester Canal & harbour cruises
Kingfisher Cruises - Littlehampton-Arundel Services on the River Arun
London Brighton & South Coast Railway - LBSC Newhaven-Dieppe Services
Southern Railway - Page 2 - Newhaven Services
Transmanche Ferries - Newhaven-Dieppe Services

Associated Pages:-
UK Excursion Ships, Ports & Piers
Essex Piers
Kent Piers
Suffolk Piers
Ferry Postcards
Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates
Simplon Postcards - Home Page

Other UK Pier Pages:- Norfolk Piers - Suffolk Piers - Essex Piers - Kent Piers - Sussex Piers - Hampshire Piers - Isle of Wight Piers - Dorset Piers (other counties in preparation)

References:-
Guide to British Piers - by Tim Mickleburgh - Piers Information Bureau 1988/1994
www.theheritagetrail.co.uk
Trip Out Guides - Written and published by G.P.Hamer - various editions from 1977 to 2005 consulted

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Hastings

Construction on Hastings Pier started on 18th December 1869. It was opened by the Earl of Granville, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports on Monday, 5th August 1872. Designed by the famous engineer Eugenius Birch, at a cost of £23,250, the original pier was modelled on Brighton West Pier. Unlike Brighton, however, a very handsome oriental style pavilion, capable of seating 2000 people comfortably, was constructed at the seaward end. The pier was 910ft (275m) long and varied in width from 45ft (13.6m) to 190ft (57.5m). On the approach to the pavilion, a flight of steps either side of the building led down to the landing stages, each 200ft (60.6m) long by 8ft (2.4m) wide. In 1885 a further landing stage was built at a cost of £2,000.

During the early part of the 20th century, many small buildings were erected on Hastings Pier to house various leisure facilities. In 1910/1911 a shooting gallery and slot machines were installed, and in 1912 a rifle range and bowling alley were added. In 1913 the shoreward end of Hastings Pier, known as the 'parade extension', was sold to the local council to finance a new arcade, shops and tearooms. On 15th July 1917 the pavilion was destroyed by fire, eventually being replaced by a much less elaborate structure in 1922. A shoreward end pavilion was built in 1926, embellished by an art deco façade in the 1930s.

Hastings was sectioned during the Second World War for fear of German invasion, cutting off the main pier structure from the shore promenade. Although suffering some bomb damage, Hastings Pier was reopened in 1946. In 1951 and 1956 the solariums were built, and in 1960 a Townsend hovercraft operated from the pier head. In 1966 the council constructed the 'Tridome' on the parade extension to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings. The parade extension and Tridome came back into the ownership of the pier company two years later in 1968. In the following year the Tridome was converted to an amusement arcade.

A decline in the pier's fortunes was experienced during the last two decades, despite various owners trying to make it a viable concern. Rejected for millennium funding in 1996, Hastings Pier was put up for sale for £3.5m, and was closed to the public. Although having been purchased by new owners for a short time, and once again opened, Hastings Pier now finds itself once again closed to the public.

Postcard of Hastings Pier
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Postcard of Hastings Pier
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Postcard of Hastings Pier
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Postcard of Hastings Pier



Postcard of Hastings Pier



Postcard of Hastings Pier
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Postcard of Hastings Pier
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Postcard of Hastings Pier
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Postcard of Hastings Pier
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Postcard of Hastings Pier






St Leonards

St Leonards pier opened on 28th October 1891. It had a 600-700 seat pavilion and steamer landing stage. The latter was not successful, presumably due to the close proximity to Hastings, and was not replaced when destroyed by rough seas. The pier closed at the outbreak of WW2, and it was sectioned in 1940, and later damaged by a bomb and a fire. It was severely damaged in a storm on 13th March 1951 and was demolished later that year, having never reopened after the war.


Postcard of St Leonards, showing the Moorish-influenced pavilion designed by F.H.Humphries.



Postcard of St Leonards






Eastbourne

Eastbourne pier was opened in June 1870, and fully completed in 1872. A storm in 1877 washed away the shoreward end, which was rebuilt. The first theatre was built in 1888, and a steamer landing stage in 1893. A replacement theatre was completed in 1902, followed in 1912 by the extension of the landing stage and a new entrance building. The latter was replaced by the current entrance in 1951. There was a fire in the theatre in 1970.

More images of Eastbourne Pier


Postcard of Eastbourne Pier
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Postcard of Eastbourne Pier
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Postcard of Eastbourne Pier
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Postcard of Eastbourne Pier
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Postcard of Eastbourne Pier



Postcard of Eastbourne Pier
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Postcard of Eastbourne Pier
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Postcard of Eastbourne Pier
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Postcard of Eastbourne Pier




Postcard of Eastbourne Pier
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Postcard of Eastbourne Pier
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Postcard of Eastbourne Pier, posted 1929
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Postcard of Eastbourne Pier



Postcard of Eastbourne Pier
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Postcard of Eastbourne Pier
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Postcard of Eastbourne Pier
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Postcard of Eastbourne Pier
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Postcard of Eastbourne Pier



Salmon postcard of Enchantress at Eastbourne
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Postcard of William Allchorn of Allchorn Pleasure Boats at Eastbourne
Scan: Ivo Batricevic
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Eastbourne Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle 3rd July 2006 - More 2006 images of Eastbourne Pier
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Eastbourne Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle 3rd July 2006 - More 2006 images of Eastbourne Pier
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Eastbourne Pier Pavilion from William Allchorn
Photo: © Ian Boyle 3rd July 2006 - More 2006 images of Eastbourne Pier
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Eastbourne Pier from William Allchorn
Photo: © Ian Boyle 3rd July 2006 - More 2006 images of Eastbourne Pier
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Eastbourne Pier Pavilion
Photo: © Ian Boyle 3rd July 2006 - More 2006 images of Eastbourne Pier
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Brighton Chain Pier
(The Royal Suspension Chain Pier)

The Brighthelmston Suspension Pier Company was formed in 1921 and the chain pier was opened on 25th November 1823, at a length of 1134 feet. The pier was primarily intended as a landing stage for packet boats to Dieppe, until they transferred to the more sheltered Newhaven. It also featured a small number of attractions including a camera obscura. An esplanade with an entrance toll-booth controlled access to the pier which was roughly in line with the New Steine. Turner and Constable both made paintings of the pier, and King William IV landed on it. It was damaged and repaired after storms in 1824, 1833 and 1836. The pier's fortunes were declining by the late 1880s. It was bought by the Marine Palace & Pier Company in 1889. They planned to build a new pier in Brighton, but planning consent depended upon the Chain pier being dismantled. The Chain pier closed in October 1896, and was wrecked in a storm that December. The remains were subsequently demolished.


Postcard of Brighton Chain Pier
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Brighton Palace Pier
(Brighton Marine Palace and Pier)

The Brighton Marine Palace and Pier, generally known as the Palace Pier, was begun in 1891 and opened in May 1899 after costing a record £137,000 to build. A concert hall opened two years later. By 1911 this had become a theatre, but it was removed in 1986. This was Brighton's third pier. A condition to be met by its builders, in exchange for permission to build, was that the first, The Royal Suspension Chain Pier of 1823, which had fallen into a state of disrepair, was to be demolished. They were saved this task by a storm which largely destroyed the Chain Pier. The pier was renamed by its current owners as Brighton Pier in 2000. Brighton Pier suffered a large fire on the 4 February 2003 but the damage was limited and most of the pier was able to reopen the next day.


Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier



Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier



Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier



Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier







Brighton West Pier

The West Pier in Brighton was built in 1866 by Eugenius Birch and has been closed and deteriorating since 1975. It was Brighton's second pier, joining The Royal Suspension Chain Pier of 1823, and it is one of only two Grade 1 listed piers in the UK, the other being Clevedon Pier.

The West Pier had been cut off from the shore, for safety reasons, since 1975. The structure suffered a serious partial collapse during a storm on December 29, 2002, when a walkway connecting the concert hall and pavilion fell into the sea. On January 20, 2003 a further collapse saw the destruction of the concert hall in the middle of the pier. On 28 March 2003 the pavilion at the end of the pier caught fire. Firefighters were unable to save the building. On May 12, 2003, another fire broke out, consuming most of what was left of the concert hall. On June 23, 2004 high winds caused the middle of the pier to collapse completely.


Postcard of Brighton West Pier
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Postcard of Brighton West Pier



Postcard of Brighton West Pier



Postcard of Brighton West Pier
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Postcard of Brighton West Pier
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Postcard of Brighton West Pier



Brighton West Pier remains in 2007
Photo: © John Hendy, 10th October 2007
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Brighton West Pier remains in 2007
Photo: © John Hendy, 10th October 2007
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Brighton West Pier remains in 2007
Photo: © John Hendy, 10th October 2007
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Worthing

Designed by Sir Robert Rawlinson and commissioned by the Worthing Pier Company, the first pile of Worthing Pier was driven 6ft (1.8m) into the chalk seabed on 4th July 1861. Opening some 10 months later on 12th April 1862 Worthing Pier consisted simply of a 960ft (291m) long by 15ft (4.6m) wide promenade deck, with a landing stage at the seaward end. In 1888 substantial improvements were made at a cost of £12,000. The pier neck was increased from 15ft (4.6m) to 30ft (9.2m) and the head was increased to 105ft (32m) to facilitate the construction of a 650-seater pavilion. Two new kiosks, one for tolls and one a bazaar, replaced the previous central tollgate. Viscount Hampden opened the revitalised Worthing Pier on 1st July 1889. In 1897 a steam ship began operation between Worthing Pier and the Chain Pier in Brighton, twelve miles to the east. This was not without its problems since the shallow depth of water at low tide seriously hampered schedules. An extension was proposed, but abandoned after engineers reported that doubling the length would only increase the depth by a further 6ft (1.8m).

On Easter Monday 1913 gale force seas once again proved how vulnerable man's structures can be. At around midnight the wooden neck of the pier collapsed into the sea leaving the pavilion isolated, later to be affectionately named 'Easter Island'. Over a year later on 29th May 1914 the repaired Worthing Pier was re-opened by the Lord Mayor of London. The Worthing Corporation purchased the pier for £18,978, in 1920. Several years later improvements were made that included extensive repair work to the existing structure and the construction of a new shoreward end pavilion designed by Adshead & Ramsey. Opening on 26th June 1926, having cost the Corporation £40,000, the 1,000 seat pavilion was to become the permanent home for the Worthing Municipal Orchestra, one of the earliest, full time, all-year-round orchestra's at a seaside resort. The final remnant of the 1888 Worthing Pier was to disappear on 10th September 1933 when a blaze destroyed the seaward end pavilion. Hundreds of trippers, many still in their bathing costumes, assisted fire crews in trying to stop the blaze spreading along the pier neck, by ripping up the timber decking with crowbars and pickaxes. The pavilion was replaced two years later at a cost of £18,000. In addition a central amusement pavilion was opened midway along the neck in 1937, and windshields were erected down the piers length.

Worthing Pier was sectioned in 1940 for fear of German invasion after the retreat at Dunkirk. The shoreward end pavilion was adapted as a recreation centre for troops, providing concert parties and cinema shows. The pier pavilion re-opened in June 1946 but a shortage of materials meant the remainder of Worthing Pier remained closed until April 1949. In March 1958 the shoreward end pavilion was refurbished and in 1959 the adjacent Denton Lounge was added. In 1963 an information kiosk at the shoreward end caused considerable local controversy as its style was not in keeping with the other buildings. The shoreward end buildings were closed between 1979 and 1982, as major restoration work on the substructure was required. Worthing Pier is still owned by Worthing Borough Council (formerly Worthing Corporation).

More images of Worthing Pier in 2007


Postcard of Worthing Pier
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Postcard of Worthing Pier



Postcard of Worthing Pier



Postcard of Worthing Pier
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Postcard of Worthing Pier
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Postcard of Worthing Pier
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Postcard of Worthing Pier
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Tuck's postcard of Worthing Pier, posted 1907
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Postcard of Worthing Pier, wrecked on March 22nd 1913
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Postcard of Worthing Pier, wrecked on March 22nd 1913, posted 1914
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Postcard of Worthing Pier, wrecked on March 22nd 1913
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Postcard of Worthing Pier, wrecked on March 22nd 1913
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Postcard of the wrecked Worthing Pier, photographed on March 23rd 1913
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Postcard of Worthing Pier



Postcard of Worthing Pier



Postcard of Worthing Pier



Postcard of Worthing Pier
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Postcard of Worthing Pier
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Photochrome postcard of Worthing Pier with Southdown coach
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Photochrome postcard of Worthing Pier
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Postcard of Worthing Pier
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Worthing Pier in 2007
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st July 2007 - More images of Worthing Pier in 2007
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Worthing Pier in 2007
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st July 2007 - More images of Worthing Pier in 2007
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Worthing Pier in 2007
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st July 2007 - More images of Worthing Pier in 2007
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Worthing Pier in 2007
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st July 2007 - More images of Worthing Pier in 2007
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Worthing Pier pavilion
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st July 2007 - More images of Worthing Pier in 2007
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Littlehampton

Postcard of Littlehampton Pier (breakwaters)
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Postcard of Littlehampton
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Postcard of Littlehampton (eastern breakwater)
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Postcard of Littlehampton
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Postcard of Littlehampton
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Postcard of Littlehampton
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Postcard of Littlehampton (eastern breakwater)



Postcard of Littlehampton Pier (eastern breakwater)
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Littlehampton Pier (eastern breakwater)
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st July 2007
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Littlehampton Pier (east breakwater)
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st July 2007
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Littlehampton Pier (east breakwater)
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st July 2007
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Littlehampton Pier beacon (east breakwater)
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st July 2007
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Littlehampton west breakwater
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st July 2007
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Bognor

Built by the Bognor Promenade Company, this pier took some 18 months to complete and was opened on the 4th May 1865. Purchased by the local council in 1876 for the sum of £1200, a small bandstand was added but no further development took place at this time. Some 35 years after initial construction the first pavilion was built at the seaward end, opening on 9th July 1900. In the following year a landing stage was added to allow paddle steamers to dock at the head. By 1906 this had become redundant as the larger more modern vessels found the docking facility inadequate. Due to rising maintenance costs the Council made a decision to sell Bognor Pier in 1908, and it was bought by the Bognor Pier Company for the conditional sum of 10 shillings (50p).

After major restoration the pier pavilion re-opened on 7th April 1909, just in time for the Easter Bank Holiday. During 1911-1912 the shoreward end was extended to a width of 80ft (24.2m), allowing space for a new arcade development containing 12 shops, a cinema, a roof garden restaurant and a 1,400 seat theatre. In 1936 a new 109ft (33m) three-tier landing stage was built, the highest level used for steamers and the two lower tiers for motorboats and speedboats. During the Second World War Bognor Regis Pier was renamed HMS Patricia and was used as a Royal Navy observation station.

The severe storms of 1964-1965 eventually caused the seaward end structure to collapse, causing the loss of the pavilion. In 1966 Bognor Pier was sold to the American Novelty Company but was forced to close once again in December 1974 after two fires in as many months. Despite being given a Grade II listing by English Heritage on 27th April 1989, the condition of the pier continued to decline, and by 1994 an application was made to demolish the remaining seaward structure. When Bognor Pier Leisure Limited became responsible for the pier in 1996, an application was made to the Heritage Lottery Fund for the £2,000,000 needed to restore it. This application was rejected, leaving the derelict seaward end at great risk. However, on a July 2007 visit most of the pier had been demolished with just a short section restored.

More images of Bognor Pier in 2007


Tuck postcard of Bognor Pier
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Norman postcard of Bognor Pier
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Postcard of Bognor Pier entrance
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Postcard of Bognor Pier



Bognor Pier in 2007 - More images of Bognor Pier in 2007
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st July 2007
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Bognor Pier in 2007
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st July 2007 - More images of Bognor Pier in 2007
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Bognor Pier in 2007
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st July 2007 - More images of Bognor Pier in 2007
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Bognor Pier in 2007
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st July 2007 - More images of Bognor Pier in 2007
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Bognor Pier in 2007
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1st July 2007 - More images of Bognor Pier in 2007
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