The Royal Pier, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales
Posted by: 
Ddraig Ddu
N 52° 24.934 W 004° 05.244
30U E 426043 N 5807816
The Royal Pier, Aberystwyth is a pleasure pier located in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales. The first pier to open in Wales in 1865, after a series of storm attacks, it is now a much shortened version of its originally constructed length of 242 metres.
Waymark Code: WMACM5
Location: South Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 12/26/2010
Views: 5
In the progressively more health conscious Victorian era, Aberystwyth had developed quickly as a holiday resort. Lying at the centre of the West Wales coastline, with Cardigan Bay beyond, it was billed as the "Biarritz of Wales."
Commissioned by a consortium of local business people under the name of the Aberystwyth Pier Promenade Company, the pier was designed and constructed by noted pier-engineer Eugenius Birch, in conjunction with local contractors J. E. Dowson.
The structure had iron rod braces, cast iron piles and supporting columns concreted into the rock. Total construction costs were £13,600.
On the night of Friday January 14, 1938 a storm with estimated wind speeds of up to 90 mph (140 km/h) struck the town. Most of the promenade was destroyed, along with 200 feet (61 m) of the pier, reducing its length by half.
Many properties on the seafront were damaged, with every property from the King's Hall north affected, those on Victoria Terrace having suffered the greatest damage. Work commenced on a protective coffer dam until 1940, with total costs of construction coming to £70,000 (equivalent to £2.5m today).
To log this find take a picture of yourself anywhere near the pier, inside, beside, under, as long as you are in the shot and so is the pier you may log this as a find!