Pier
A pier is a seaside platform extended out into the sea, designed for pleasure or entertainment, often as an additional attraction in places with a beach. There are many in the United Kingdom, and there are also piers in Scheveningen, Blankenberge, etc.
A pier may be open air, closed, or partly open, partly closed. Sometimes a pier has two decks.
Piers in the UK
Piers were found in all fashionable seaside towns during the Victorian era, and are still retained by many.
The most well known piers are perhaps at Brighton in East Sussex, while the longest is at Southend-on-Sea at 1.25 miles (2 km) long.
Wigan Pier was the subject of a well known Music Hall joke, since the name was given to a small jetty used to load canal barges - besides which Wigan is miles from the sea. It became world famous after George Orwell entitled a book of social commentary The Road to Wigan Pier. Withernsea pier, England, was demolished in the 1900s after being left just 15 metres long after being struck by ships four times.
In 2002 it was stated in Parliament that there were 80 piers in England that had been designated by the Government as listed buildings. However this conflicts with the total figure of 55 piers given by the National Piers Society.
History of the pier
The first pier in the UK was opened in 1814 at Ryde on the Isle of Wight, to allow steamboat ferries to and from the mainland to moor.
List of towns with piers
England
Wales
Rest of the world
See also
