North Pier and Crane Wharf, Bridlington Harbour

North Pier and Crane Wharf, Bridlington Harbour

These harbour installations date from 1816 to 1843, with a southern extension added to the pier in 1866 by Sir John Coode.

The structures are built primarily of substantial sandstone ashlar blocks. The 1866 southern extension uses pre-cast concrete blocks, while the pier has a chalk-filled core with iron sheet piles incorporated into the foundations of the middle section.

The pier forms the eastern side of the harbour, extending approximately 170 metres south-south-east, with the 1866 extension projecting a further 35 metres to the south-south-west. A flight of steps descends southwards to the harbour bed from the landward, northern end of the pier. The landward end connects to cliff-top street level via a semi-circular flight of steps, with a further set of steps to the east linking the pier to the seafront promenade.

Crane Wharf extends westwards from the pier for about 50 metres, forming the eastern end of the north side of the harbour. It incorporates a stone jetty approximately 7 metres wide extending nearly 10 metres into the harbour. The stone jetty is flanked by stone steps down to landings that provide access to a pair of latrines built into the quayside walling. The quayside of Crane Wharf is topped by iron railings and built of stone ashlar. Although no longer continuously paved with stone, the quayside retains some substantial stone paving slabs as part of its surfacing.

The main portion of the pier has smoothly battered sides without steps between courses. The eastern, seaward face features wave return coving topped by a parapet of substantial stone blocks. The northern section of the western face of this parapet is moulded, imitating timber panelling. On the seaward side of the middle section, the tops of the original iron sheet piling are exposed at low tide. The 1866 extension is also battered with a slight stepped curve, the blockwork stepping inwards with each course, the four top courses being vertical and lacking wave return coving. Instead, its parapet is double height, broadly stepped on its western side.

Running roughly down the centre line of the pier is a series of cast iron features: a drum with compass top supporting a post topped by a fish-shaped weathervane; a ring-topped cylindrical bollard; a flanged drum believed to be a flag pole base; a capstan; two rounded, ring-topped bollards; and a fairlead at the pier's end, formed as a short octagonal bollard with rope guide. Along the eastern harbour face runs a regular series of substantial late 19th-century mooring pins.