Survey Data
Reg No
40909617
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Social, Technical
Previous Name
Tawny Pier
Original Use
Pier/jetty
In Use As
Pier/jetty
Date
1870 - 1900
Coordinates
160803, 375084
Date Recorded
04/12/2007
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Pier/jetty, erected c. 1880 and possibly altered c. 1894, having mass concrete walls with ashlar coping over, and with squared rubble cobblestone deck. Possibly containing earlier fabric. Mass concrete wall to the west elevation facing out to open water. Flight of cut stone steps from deck to sea level to the east elevation. Collection of six single-bay single-storey flat-roofed huts located along deck. Mass concrete road with rubble stone retaining wall to the north links pier to modern mass concrete slipway to east. Located to the south shoreline along Tawny Bay and to the south-east of Cill Charta/Kilcar.
Appraisal
This functional simple small-scale pier/jetty at Tawny is an interesting addition to the extensive maritime heritage of the Cill Charta/Kilcar area. Despite some modern repairs, it retains some interesting early features including high quality ashlar coping, cut stone steps and cobbled deck. It is robustly constructed using mass concrete, and is one of a large number of piers that were built or rebuilt using this material during the late-nineteenth and the early twentieth century (report in 1885 indicates it was made of concrete). It is designed to provide protection from the open seas to the west. It is one of a number of small-scale piers that are still in active use in the Teelin and Tawny Bay region. It was originally built to serve local fishermen, a service it still provides as can be seen with the series of small-scale modern huts that are located along its length. This pier was originally built or rebuilt by the OPW/Board of Works in 1881 at an estimated cost of £900 (Report of the Inspectors of Irish Fisheries on the Sea and Inland Fisheries of Ireland for 1881). It was damaged during winter storms of 1880/81. It may have been later altered or modified by the Congested District Board c. 1894 who were very active in developing various fishing-related industries here. This small-scale pier is an addition to the built heritage of the local area, and provides a focal point along the scenic coastline to the south side of Tawny Bay.