Wednesday, March 8, 2017

ABC Wednesday - I - Ironwork - Bangor Pier - Wales


Bangor Pier

My choice today for ABC Wednesday Letter I is Ironwork photographed on Bangor Pier during a visit last Autumn.  


Detail of Pier Side Railings.

Entrance to Bangor Pier

Detail from the gate.

I have included here a brief history of  Bangor Pier  courtesy of  Website - The Pier where you can read the full article.

'Bangor pier was designed by Westminster based JJ Webster and was built for a total of £14,475. The pier was completed in 1896, and was opened to the public on May 14th.Once construction had finished pier was 1550 feet (470m) long. The amazing length of the pier made it the ninth longest in England and Wales.

The pier was built mainly of steel and iron columns; the decking was wooden and had covered kiosks at regular intervals along its length. At the end of the pier a boat landing stage was constructed, this was initially linked to a narrow gauge railway link for baggage carrying. After careful thought and planning the railway link was removed not long after it was built.

In 1971 it was decided that the pier was no longer safe for the public to use and it was closed. The arfon borough council took ownership and in 1974 decided demolition was the only answer. The local council put in an objection and gained a preservation order. The preservation order made the pier a grade 2 listed building. The listed status helped the seaside pier considerably as it was considered one of the finest 3 piers in Britain at the time.

Later on in 1975 the local council bought the pier for a mere one pence, the next task was raising funds for the repairs. The fund rising took a total of seven years to complete. Later on down the line, after the funding was in place the rebuild of the pier took a further six years to finish off.

The project was helped considerably by the national heritage memorial fund. On the 7th May 1988 the seaside pier was reopened to the public'.

However by 2011 more expensive renovations were needed, the timeline of which can be read on The National Piers Society Website.   Thankfully the Pier remains open.






I am sharing this post with  ABC Wednesday


More can be learnt about this Victorian Pier by visiting the following links.

Trip Advisor - Bangor Pier     Bangor Pier    National Piers Society

9 comments:

  1. Lovely choice... often so intriguing work, I often stand still when I find it to look it some minutes

    Have a nice ABC-day / -week
    ♫ M e l ☺ d y ♫ (abc-w-team)
    http://melodymusic.nl/20-i/

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  2. What a lovely pier! I love the grand iron gates.

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  3. It's a beautiful old pier , such wonderful craftsmanship. I'm glad they didn't demolish it.

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  4. It's much finer than the piers I have seen. Very good that steps were taken to preserve it.

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  5. Very interesting history, the pier is lovely and the gate is beautiful!
    Enjoy the upcoming weekend..........

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  6. this is truly a beautiful pier, glad they got it restored and back open to the public. love the gate..

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  7. Next time I'm in Wales (and I WILL be back) I must go see this town and its pier. We stayed in Conwy last year but didn't get that far west. Still much more to see in Wales - I am 1/4 Welsh with a maiden name of Jones - can't get much more Welsh than that! lol

    Leslie
    abcw team

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  8. I've seen that pier before although i haven't had the pleasure
    of walking along it! I like Bangor, it's a lovely town, actually
    it is classified as a City, it has one of the finest Universities in the UK.
    It is also the gateway to the wonderful Isle of Anglesey,
    Your photographs are great, such clarity.
    Best wishes,
    Di.
    ABCW team.

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