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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 67 SW 76
Type of record:Listed Building
Name:Gravesend Town Pier

Summary

Gravesend Pier, built 1831-4. Grade II* listed building. Main construction periods 1831 to 1999


Grid Reference:TQ 64774 74479
Map Sheet:TQ67SW
Parish:GRAVESEND, GRAVESHAM, KENT

Monument Types

  • PIER (PIER, Post Medieval to Modern - 1831 AD to 2050 AD)
  • PIER (Post Medieval to Modern - 1831 AD to 2050 AD)
Protected Status:Listed Building (II*) 1089004: THE TOWN PIER

Full description

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TQ 647 745 Town Pier (1). The pier was designed by W.T.Clarke and built by Gravesend Corporation in 1831-4. It is 'T' shaped, of cast iron, and rests on two rows of four columns. There are two original pavilions and a cast ironlight but these are partly obscured by a later overall roof added by the Railway Company (2). Additional bibliography (3). The Town Pier. The whole fortune of Gravesend springs from the landing place at this spot, which has existed since the time of Domesday. The present pier was built in 1831-4 by Gravesend Corporation. [Full architectural description] LISTED GRADE II* (4). Additional refernece to site (5). Site indicated on 1st, 2nd and 3rd ed OS map (6-8) and also the map from the 1850s' (9,10). Site photograph (11-29) The pier is still in use and well maintained and restored (30)

Description from record TQ 67 SW 1077:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 5277 TOWN PIER
The Town Pier TQ 6474 SE 1/194 TQ 67 SW 8/194
II GV
2. The whole fortune of Gravesend springs from the landing place at this spot, which has existed since the time of Domesday. The present Pier was built in 1831-4 by Gravesend Corporation at the cost of £8,700. Designed by W T Clark CE. T-shaped construction of cast iron, resting on 2 rows of 4 columns at the shore end and 3 rows of 6 columns under the T-portion. It originally had 2 pavilions at the angles of the T-portion with roofs supported on columns with foliated capitals and turrets above. These still remain but the whole pier has since been roofed over. Beneath the pier is the older landing stage, which dates from the C18 and still belongs to the Corporation. This is a sloping approach of flagstones. Forms a group with Nos 2 to 5 (consec), Town Pier and the Three Daws Public House, High Street. Listing NGR: TQ647747448 (31)


Gifford, Gravesend Pier Pontoons: Archaeological desk-based assessment (Unpublished document). SKE18090.

<1> OS 6" 1973 (OS Card Reference). SKE48378.

<2> CBA Panel on Indust Mons Pleasure Piers 1975 3 (OS Card Reference). SKE38785.

<3> The Ind Arch of SE Eng 1978 42 (AJ Haselfoot) (OS Card Reference). SKE50369.

<4> DOE(HHR)Borough of Gravesham, Kent. 37-38 (3.7.75) (OS Card Reference). SKE41242.

<5> Eve, D., 1999, A guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Kent, 16 (Monograph). SWX9293.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1858-73, Ordnance Survey 1:2500 1st Edition : 1872-1897 (Map). SWX11831.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1893-7, Ordnance Survey 1:2500 2nd edition : 1893-1898 (Map). SWX11832.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1905-10, Ordnance Survey 1:2500 3rd edition: 1901-1912 (Map). SWX11833.

<9> Admiralty, River Thames - Tilbury to Margaretness (Chart). SWX8504.

<10> Bullock, 1852, Gravesend Reach (Chart). SWX8140.

<11> RCHME, 1994, The Lower Thames in 1994, a photographic survey from the river Blackwell to Tilbury and Greenwich to Gravesend, neg AA94/3448 (Photograph). SWX9333.

<12> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10059.

<13> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9416.

<14> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9436.

<15> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9470.

<16> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10026.

<17> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10036.

<18> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10037.

<19> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10047.

<20> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10048.

<21> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10056.

<22> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10058.

<23> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10061.

<24> 1942, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10074.

<25> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10057.

<26> 1941, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10117.

<27> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10288.

<28> 1975, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10840.

<29> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10071.

<30> Wessex Archaeology, 2005, North Kent Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey: Phase ll: Field Assessment Year Two Report (Unpublished document). SWX12323.

<31> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
---Unpublished document: Gifford. Gravesend Pier Pontoons: Archaeological desk-based assessment.
<1>OS Card Reference: OS 6" 1973.
<2>OS Card Reference: CBA Panel on Indust Mons Pleasure Piers 1975 3.
<3>OS Card Reference: The Ind Arch of SE Eng 1978 42 (AJ Haselfoot).
<4>OS Card Reference: DOE(HHR)Borough of Gravesham, Kent. 37-38 (3.7.75).
<5>Monograph: Eve, D.. 1999. A guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Kent. 16.
<6>Map: Ordnance Survey. 1858-73. Ordnance Survey 1:2500 1st Edition : 1872-1897. 1:2500.
<7>Map: Ordnance Survey. 1893-7. Ordnance Survey 1:2500 2nd edition : 1893-1898. 1:2500.
<8>Map: Ordnance Survey. 1905-10. Ordnance Survey 1:2500 3rd edition: 1901-1912. 1:2500.
<9>Chart: Admiralty. River Thames - Tilbury to Margaretness. chart.
<10>Chart: Bullock. 1852. Gravesend Reach. chart.
<11>Photograph: RCHME. 1994. The Lower Thames in 1994, a photographic survey from the river Blackwell to Tilbury and Greenwich to Gravesend. various. neg AA94/3448.
<12>Photograph (Print): 1944. Photograph. 3089. print.
<13>Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 3096. print.
<14>Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 4126. print.
<15>Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 4019. print.
<16>Photograph (Print): 1944. Photograph. 4093. print.
<17>Photograph (Print): 1944. Photograph. 4091. print.
<18>Photograph (Print): 1944. Photograph. 3081. print.
<19>Photograph (Print): 1944. Photograph. 3001. print.
<20>Photograph (Print): 1944. Photograph. 4003. print.
<21>Photograph (Print): 1944. Photograph. 3010. print.
<22>Photograph (Print): 1944. Photograph. 3017. print.
<23>Photograph (Print): 1944. Photograph. 4087. print.
<24>Photograph (Print): 1942. Photograph. 5011. print.
<25>Photograph (Print): 1944. Photograph. 3015. print.
<26>Photograph (Print): 1941. Photograph. 2061. print.
<27>Photograph (Print): 2000. Photograph. 196. print.
<28>Photograph (Print): 1975. Photograph. TQ6474/3. print.
<29>Photograph (Print): 1944. Photograph. 4001. print.
<30>Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2005. North Kent Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey: Phase ll: Field Assessment Year Two Report.
<31>XYMap: English Heritage. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. [Mapped feature: #17505 Pier, ]