Download our leaflet - Click Here

• 20 feet wide and 1040 feet long.
• 15 groups of four piles each support a continuous lattice girder complemented by a Westerly extension from the Island as a landing stage for ferry traffic.
• 1864 was the date the foundation stone was laid for the Pier to open in 1867.
• 1868 The Pier started selling gifts from the Bazaar.
• 1870 first North Jetty was built and lost in a storm, finally opening for  service in 1872, and the Westerly extension was removed.
• 1882 The RNLI came to the Island launching from davits and in 1888 built its first Lifeboat House. A second one came into service in 1903.
• 1884  The Hans Fowler Price-designed Pavilion  is built  on the island and a luggage transport track way is deployed
• 1889 A ‘Switchback Railway’ was added, an early type of roller coaster.
• 1891 Weston's second telephone was installed on the Pier.
• 1894 Clock Tower was added with a bandstand alongside.
• 1897 The Pier’s big fire destroyed the 1884 Pavilion.  What remained of the building was used within the 1898 reopened East Pavilion, we see today.
• 1903 The great storm breached the North Jetty and destroyed the Low  Water Jetty being built to the South of the Island. The North Jetty was rebuilt in steel and opened for the new sailing season of 1904. Not until 1909 was the Low Water Jetty commissioned for service.
• 1905 to 1912 sees an expansion to entertainment on the Island with a  Water Chute, Flying Machine, Hurry Scurry, Helter Skelter, Maze, Cake Walk, Roller Rink and Motor track. Much of this had gone pre-WW1.
• 1923 Notification was given for removal of the Low Water Jetty and in 1930 the Water Chute was removed.
• 1941 The Admiralty took over Pier for a secret weapons development site, HMS Birnbeck was born. Artefacts from that time are still being found.
• With the Pier released from its war efforts, the ferries returned from all terminals in the Estuary, but times were hard. In Wales the restrictions on alcohol sales were reformed and in 1966 the opening of the first Severn bridge and use of the motor car brought an end to the passenger services by 1979.
• The Pier from sine this period has had many owners but the lack of footfall meant a decline in income. Attractions were brought in to revive cash flow including a Skate Board Park, Sinclair C5s, Motor Museum, Banquets and a full size mock up of the Concorde nose cone.
• 1994 as a result of a Council Order on the owner. However the RNLI and the fishermen still used it, with temporary repairs for their own needs.             
• A succession of owners, with all with major developments in mind have all failed to invest and move forward thus allowing the Pier to decay.
• 2015 in January there was a sudden upsurge of public interest in the Old Pier and the Birnbeck Regeneration Trust  was reactivated. New Trustees were elected, bringing with them a range of new skills and experience. The Trust has worked with North Somerset Council and Historic England to seek a successful future for Birnbeck Pier.
• 2018 BRT brought together NSC, RNLI and Historic England to form a team , this was the catalyst to save Birnbeck.
• 2019 saw North Somerset Council start the process to issue a Repairs Notice on CNM Estates Ltd for works to be carried out in the Grade II* listed structure.  This was served in September 2019.  As the owner made little attempt to carry out the works required, the next step was to serve a Compulsory  Purchase Order. 
  

North Somerset Council took ownership of the Pier and associated land on the 13 July 2023  they can now  lease a section to the RNLI so they may restore lifesaving operations from the Island. 

North Somerset Council working with the Birnbeck Regeneration Trust  will develop options with public consultation on what solutions can be sought to develop a sustainable regeneration of the initially the mainland with the island following in further phases. 

The regeneration must deliver a Pier that can be financially self sufficient and able to generate funds to be able to keep the buildings and infrastructure in good repair for the benefit of future generations.

When you are out and about please help the trust build its archives, if you see a postcard, piece of china etc that was a memorabilia from Birnbeck Pier if you would like to purchase it and donate it to the trust or let us know where it is and we can seek to procure. 

We can then build a great archive of items that we can put on show when we have a location to build our heritage centre.