Clevedon Pier

The pier that collapsed and came back

A formal scheme for the pier was adopted in 1866, and it opened on 29 March 1869. Its legs were made from rail that had previously been used on Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s South Wales Railway, and it served as an embarkation point for paddle steamer excursions for almost 100 years. North Somerset Council says the pagodas were added in 1894.

On 16 October 1970 two spans collapsed during stress testing. In 1979 the district council applied for permission to demolish the pier, but a public inquiry the following year ruled that it should be kept. Sir John Betjeman had called it “the most beautiful pier in England”, and a long restoration followed, ending when the pier was restored and opened to the public again on 23 May 1998.

What you see now

North Somerset Council describes Clevedon as the only Grade I listed pier in the country. You walk out along the deck over the Severn Estuary. The Clevedon Pier and Heritage Trust runs the pier. It has also been a filming location: the 2010 film Never Let Me Go shot scenes near it and used the pier on its poster, TV productions including EastEnders, Coast and Casualty have used it, and One Direction filmed the video for You and I there in March 2014.

What is next door

The pier stands on Clevedon seafront and is a separate attraction from the foreshore and the swimming lake beside it. For the foreshore, tides and mud, read Clevedon Beach. For the tidal swimming lake, see Clevedon Marine Lake. The town is covered on the Clevedon page.

Planning your visit

Opening days, entry details, refreshments, toilets, dog rules and step-free access can all change with the season, so check the pier’s website before you go. If step-free access matters for your group, ask the trust before you travel.