- Aberystwyth Pier is in Ceredigion, Wales.
- Grade II
- Check access, weather and local guidance before travelling.
About Aberystwyth Pier
Aberystwyth Royal Pier is a Grade II listed pleasure pier on the Ceredigion coast, the first purpose-built pleasure pier to open in Wales. Though storms have reduced it far below its original length, it remains a landmark of the town's seafront and the oldest pier in the principality.
The story of Aberystwyth Pier
The pier was designed by Eugenius Birch — the foremost Victorian pier engineer, also responsible for Brighton and Margate — and engineered by John Dowson. Built in 1864 for the Aberystwyth Pier Company at a cost of £13,600, it opened on Good Friday 1865, the very same day that the Cambrian Railways line from Machynlleth reached the town. Originally 242 metres (800 feet) long and 6.1 metres wide, it drew 7,000 paying visitors on its first day. Just seven months later, in January 1866, a severe storm washed away a 30-metre section at the seaward end, and the pier was rebuilt in 1872. A pavilion and substructure were added in 1896 by G. Croydon Marks of London. A further pavilion was built in 1899, but repeated storms over the decades shortened the pier until little more than the shoreward section survived. The pier was Grade II listed in recognition of its importance as Wales's first pleasure pier. January 2014 tidal storms caused fresh damage, and in March 2015 the managing company went into administration; new owners Revgate Aberystwyth Ltd submitted restoration plans in 2018 to return the entrance to its 1865 appearance.
Visiting with care
Open year-round, the pier is a short walk from Aberystwyth town centre and the ruins of Aberystwyth Castle, which sit on a headland just to the south. Though now much shortened, it retains its Victorian character and is a pleasant spot for a seafront stroll, with the Cambrian coast stretching in both directions.
Interesting facts
- The first purpose-built pleasure pier to open in Wales, opened on Good Friday 1865.
- Designed by Eugenius Birch, who also designed Brighton and Margate piers, and engineered by John Dowson.
- Opened on the same day that the Cambrian Railways line from Machynlleth reached Aberystwyth.
- A storm in January 1866, just seven months after opening, washed away a 30-metre seaward section.
Getting there
Parking and access details — check locally for the latest information.