MDE11241 - Late 19th Century pier remains at Woody Bay (Monument)

A pier was built in 1895 as part of the proposed Woody Bay tourist resort. It began to break up in storms during 1899 and 1900 and was pulled down in 1902, but stone foundation blocks and iron girder bases are still visible. Summary from record MDE20949: Remains of pier are visible at woody bay. This pier was built circa 1900 by a developer for use in the bristol channel pleasure steamer trade. It subsequently fell into disuse (national trust).

SS 6772 4909. The remains of a pier. This pier was built in 1895 by Colonel Benjamin Greene Lake (1839-1909), a London solicitor in an attempt to develop the Woody Bay area. It was initially planned to be about 100 yards long with a dogleg extension and landing stage, but was later reduced to 80 yards because of financial difficulties. The pier was completed for the arrival of the first steamer in 1897 but it broke up during the storms of 1899 and 1900 and it was finally pulled down in 1902. [1] The pier remains are shown and annotated on the Ordnance Survey map of 1904. [2] Due to locked gates access was not gained to the pier. its wooden superstructure has gone but its foundations of large stone blocks with the broken bases of rusting iron girders are still visible. [3] The pier was built circa 1900 by a developer for use in the Bristol Channel pleasure steamer trade. [4] The 2020 MasterMap data depicts the feature and labels it "Pier (remains of)". [5] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [6]