Building record MDO32894 - Pier, Boscombe Chine, Boscombe

Boscombe Pier was built in 1888 at a cost of £12,000 to a length of 600 feet. It was designed by Archibold Smith. One early attraction at the pier was the skeleton of a 65 foot whale, washed up on a nearby beach. It was often used by children as an impromptu slide until it was later ground up as fertiliser. In about 1904, several buildings were constructed along the pier, including a steamer landing stage. Between 1924 and 1927, the pier-head was remodelled in concrete, followed by the pier-neck between 1958 and 1960. The Mermaid Theatre was constructed at the pier-head in 1961 and was converted to an amusement arcade in 1965. The pier-head closed due to safety concerns in 1990. Since 1982, there have been plans to redevelop the pier. The pavilion is currently (2007) used for storage. In 2004, the entrance building at the pavilion neck, built during the remodelling of 1858-1860, was Grade II listed. It is constructed of reinforced concrete on a bastion encased in rough natural stone. It has a boomerang-shaped roof and comprises of two kiosks, either side of the entrance to the pier, with toilets behind and shelters at either end. There are blue tiles on the sea elevation of the kiosk and cream tiles to the front. It has been described as 'a design of great verve and vivacity that well demonstrates the revitalisation of the British seaside resort in the 1950s'.

Boscombe Pier, approximately 190m in length, is first shown on the OS 2nd edn 25in map (1898) <1> and is still extant <2>.

The original iron and wood pier, designed by A Smith and built 1888 by E Howell, was 600 feet (182.9 metres) in length. It has been entirely rebuilt in concrete, the pierhead in 1926-7 and the neck (which now resembles a long road bridge) in 1958-60. <3>

Boscombe Pier was built in 1888 at a cost of £12,000 to a length of 600 feet. It was designed by Archibold Smith. One early attraction at the pier was the skeleton of a 65 foot whale, washed up on a nearby beach. It was often used by children as an impromptu slide until it was later ground up as fertiliser. In about 1904, several buildings were constructed along the pier, including a steamer landing stage. Between 1924 and 1927, the pier-head was remodelled in concrete, followed by the pier-neck between 1958 and 1960. The Mermaid Theatre was constructed at the pier-head in 1961 and was converted to an amusement arcade in 1965. The pier-head closed due to safety concerns in 1990.

Since 1982, there have been plans to redevelop the pier. The pavilion is currently (2007) used for storage. In 2004, the entrance building at the pavilion neck, built during the remodelling of 1858-1860, was Grade II listed. It is constructed of reinforced concrete on a bastion encased in rough natural stone. It has a boomerang-shaped roof and comprises of two kiosks, either side of the entrance to the pier, with toilets behind and shelters at either end. There are blue tiles on the sea elevation of the kiosk and cream tiles to the front. It has been described as 'a design of great verve and vivacity that well demonstrates the revitalisation of the British seaside resort in the 1950s'. <5-7>

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1900, Ordnance Survey 25-inch map, epoch two (Map). SDO11594.

<2> MasterMap (Map). SDO12433.

<3> Council for British Archaeology, 1975, CBA Panel on Industrial Monuments: Pleasure, 7 (Monograph). SDO19815.

<4> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1976 (Map). SWX1540.

SZ 112911 Boscombe Pier

<5> Mickleburgh, Timothy J, 1998, Guide to British piers, 24 (Monograph). SDO19010.

<6> Mawson, C, and Riding, R, 2008, British Seaside Piers, 18-19 (Monograph). SDO19011.

<7> Braggs, S, and Harris, D, https://www.seasidehistory.co.uk/piers.html (Digital archive). SDO19816.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 458992 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 4 2023 2:21PM