- Margate Pier is in Kent, England.
- Grade II — historic harbour arm
- Check access, weather and local guidance before travelling.
About Margate Pier
Margate's pier is the Harbour Arm, a Grade II listed stone pier stretching into the Thames Estuary that has defined the town's seafront for over two centuries. Known locally simply as "the pier", it is a working harbour arm rather than a pleasure pier, with a lighthouse at its seaward end.
The story of Margate Pier
A pier has served Margate since medieval times, but a great storm on 26 November 1703 badly damaged the town and its pier, and a further storm in January 1808 destroyed the Old Pier entirely. In 1808 the harbour trustees appointed the engineer John Rennie to report on a replacement, and the present stone Harbour Arm was built between 1812 and 1815 to Rennie's design as a protective pier supporting Margate's busy maritime trade. A lighthouse was placed at the seaward end; the present lighthouse dates from a rebuild in 1955. A separate iron jetty, added in the 1850s and extended in 1855, once stood alongside but was lost to storms in 1978. The Harbour Arm itself was Grade II listed and has been restored in recent years as a promenade lined with independent food, drink and arts venues, returning the historic structure to public use.
Visiting with care
Open year-round, the Harbour Arm is now a food and arts destination, with the lighthouse at the end and uninterrupted views back across Margate Sands. It sits beside the Turner Contemporary gallery and the Old Town, making it a natural part of a Margate walk, and is especially lively on summer evenings.
Interesting facts
- The present stone Harbour Arm was built between 1812 and 1815 to a design by John Rennie.
- It replaced an earlier pier destroyed by a storm in January 1808.
- The lighthouse at the seaward end was rebuilt in 1955.
- A separate iron jetty added in the 1850s was lost to storms in 1978.
Getting there
Parking and access details — check locally for the latest information.