Fire destroys Hastings Pier

 Take a look at this web site

http://www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/alpha_lists/pierlist.htm

It does seem most of them were built in the 19th century and into the early 20th century.  Hastings pier in 1872 seems recent compared to  Peter's Southend pier of 1830.  I suspect the advent of the railways had some connection with pier building, as they allowed people to go to the seaside in greater numbers than previously, as seaside holiday towns began to cater to these new arrivals to theie towns.

Does the electric railway--the world's oldest---at Hythe, Hampshire that takes you out to catch the Southampton ferry count as a pier along which it runs ?    

Weston Super Mare's Birnbeck Pier is the only one that joins onto an island.  But Weston's Grand Pier further south, is the one usually thought of regarding Weston; nearer the town centre and large sandy beach.

Picture by Paul Hilton

Where I live, in Scheveningen (try to pronounce that with out twisting your tongue) we also have a Pier. The old one was build in 1901 and destroyed by the Germans in 1943. They were afraid that it could be used as a landing platform by the allied forces. A new one was build in 1961. almost 50 years later it is in not so good condition.

(a picture of this pier is on the postcard I sent to you last week Cathy)