Aberystwyth was the first town in Wales to have a purpose built pleasure pier. Commissioned by the Aberystwyth Pier Promenade Company, designed and constructed by Eugenius Birch (engineer) in conjunction with contractors J.E. Dowson.
Extract from "Coflein"
Built by Eugenius Birch of London in 1865. Damaged by storm in 1866 and rebuilt in 1872. Pavilion and substructure by G. Croydon Marks of London in 1896. 800ft long; truncated in 1938 by storm damage. Wrought iron rod braces, cast iron piles and columns concreted into the rock.
1865 Good Friday the Royal Pier opened, length at the time of opening 242m (800ft) with a Construction cost of £13,600
On the opening day some 7000 visitors paid a small toll to promenade along the pier, which help recoup some of the initial building costs
1866 January seven months after opening, a severe storm washed away a 30m (100ft) section, which led to the sale of the pier a few years later
1872 the new owners replaced the missing section with a slimmer 70m (230ft) extension, they also added a gallery and refreshments room
End of the 19th century the Royal Pier saw the building of a glass pavilion by the Bourne Engineering & Electrical Company. Designed by G. Croydon-Marks, costing £1,000 the new pavilion consisted of three aisles surmounted by glass domed roofs, the elevations being ribbed and decorated in the Gothic style, with a capacity to hold 3,000 people.
1896 26th July new pavilion opened by the Princess of Wales
1938 saw further stormdamage to reduced the length of the pier by half
1970s the remaining seaward neck was in such a bad state of repair it closed to the public on safety grounds
1979 Aberystwyth Royal Pier was purchased by the Don Leisure Group
1986 they spent £250,000 on improvements to the remainder of the 91m (300ft) pier
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