Hythe Pier

A pier built between 1879 and 1881, designed by James Wright and constructed by Bergheim of London for the Hythe Pier and Hythe and Southampton Ferry Company Ltd, with later additions and repairs.

The pier measures just under 640 metres in length and is orientated roughly north to south, running from the bank at Hythe at its south end. It has a cast-iron and steel substructure with a timber-plank walkway and timber-clad waiting rooms.

The substructure is principally a cast-iron and steel frame. At the south end, the north side of the approach ramp is supported by two longitudinal girders spanning between concrete abutments on the east side and cast-iron columns on the west side. The rest of the pier construction consists of cast-iron columns that are braced laterally by vertical cross bracing and internal trusses. Two longitudinal steel lattice trusses span between the pairs of columns and are joined in locations by expansion joints. At two locations along the flanks of the pier are columns which formerly supported interim landing stages, with the timber planks since removed from these areas. Where the pierhead buildings are located, the structure widens and there are two additional outer rows of columns; the pier deck in this area is jettied and supported by cast-iron brackets. The north end is a later extension to the pierhead, with later columns fixed to concrete bases constructed using steel sheet piles.

The pier superstructure has a timber-plank deck on wooden joists that have undergone various phases of replacement. The pier railings are steel tubular rails with slanting stanchions, most of which have been replaced in steel matching the original style; some surviving cast-iron stanchions on the east side may be original. An electric railway line runs along the east side of the pier, present since 1922, with sections of track replaced at various stages. The lamp posts lining either side are late 20th century.

At the pierhead, to the north, are two rows of painted-timber buildings standing either side of the pier railway terminus, which includes a raised timber platform covered by a canopy that joins the roofs of the flanking buildings. The station canopy and overhanging roof eaves on the seaward sides are supported by cast-iron brackets. The pier structure extends around either side of the buildings to create a walkway; the south side retains the walkway and railings while the north side is currently missing both.

Most of the buildings are clad in vertical timber. The section below the mid rail is backed by tongue-and-groove boarding; most of the timber boarding backing the upper level has been replaced by plate glass.

The east pierhead building includes the original 1880s building with a lean-to at the north end. The seaward elevation has a series of sash windows and doorways inserted when this building was subdivided for use as a yacht club; several earlier sash windows have been replaced by picture windows. The platform elevation consists of bays with timber posts and stop-chamfered cross bracing either side of a mid-rail. At the north end is a 1920s general room extension to the former yacht club; a timber-clad building with one-over-one sash windows on the seaward elevation, and further windows and doors on the south end and platform-side elevation.

The west building consists of a waiting room at the south end, slightly later than the north end which contains the original toilets and pantry. The seaward elevation has eight-over-eight sash windows. The south elevation had a large picture window in an earlier opening. The southern half of the platform elevation is similar to the east building. The northern half of the west building's platform elevation retains tongue-and-groove boarding at both levels behind the cross bracing, and a large timber door that accesses the toilets flanked by decorative cast-iron brackets. At the north end is a modern lean-to.

At the pierhead are various later steel machinery and gantry.

The interior of the late 19th-century section of the east pierhead building (from south to north) consists of a long open space; all later subdivisions dating to its use as a yacht club have been removed. It has a timber-boarded floor and ceiling. At the north end is the 1920s former yacht club general room with tongue-and-groove board walls and a coved boarded ceiling with an applied elliptical decoration.

The west pierhead building (from south to north) consists of a waiting room with a timber-boarded floor and ceiling and walls lined with tongue-and-groove boards with a dado rail. Beyond, through a later internal door, is the kitchenette (former pantry) with a similar boarded ceiling and floor. Further north is the former ladies' toilets, retaining original cubicles with privacy latches and louvered ventilation panels above the cubicle doorways. There are also some early cisterns and a corner basin. The walls are clad in tongue-and-groove boards and the ceiling has been covered by later timber boards.

Attached to the north side of the pier is a modern footbridge leading down to the ferry stage pontoon; these are modern replacements not included in the listing. Works to these structures which have the potential to affect the character of the listed building may still require Listed Building Consent.