Remains of Pier Wall

The remains of the pier wall at Hartland Quay were originally built in the late 16th century by William Abbott, the inheritor of Hartland Abbey and its estate. However, what survives today is likely the result of several rebuildings or repairs that occurred throughout the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The pier suffered significant damage during two severe storms in 1887 and 1896, which led to its two-stage destruction. The structure features large grounders with stone rubble blocks above.

Hartland Quay was likely at its most prosperous during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1841, after damage to the pier-head from gales, its owner Lewis William Buck was confident enough in the quay's future to raise £1,200 for repairs. However, in the second half of the 19th century, the quay's fortunes declined, partly due to the arrival of the railway in Bideford in 1855 and a period of agricultural depression. Following further significant damage in 1887, Sir George Stuckley chose not to rebuild the pier but instead re-faced the stump, and the remainder was swept away in 1896. By this time, business at the quay had ceased, with the last ship, the Rosamund Jane, departing in 1893.