EAST PIER: the pier began construction in 1749 and extends approximately 230m in a south-easterly direction from the concourse outside the Royal Victoria Pavillion before turning to a south-westerly direction for approximately 215m to the original octagonal pier head. The pier structure comprises a chalk and cement core faced with Purbeck, Aislaby sandstone with a granite coping. The inner walls are stepped and the outer walls are roll moulded below the parapet. The surface comprises stone flag paving, which has subsequently been covered now with C20 paving in a majority of areas. The advance pier, built by Smeaton between 1788-92, extends from the octagonal pier head in a south-westerly direction for approximately 95m. Original paving, laid in a radial pattern, survives at the later circular pier head close to where the early to mid C20 terminal building and landing stage are located. A breakwater, built of abraded, roughly hewn stone, extends for approximately 210m in a south-easterly direction from the pier head out to sea. An elaborately designed cast iron newel post, which would have originally been attached to railings (now removed), is positioned on the outer wall at the entrance to the pier. Painted grey, black and white, it features twisted columns on all four corners, and is adorned with rosettes, decorative shells and foliate detailing. One set of granite stairs, known today as the Dover stairs (also known as the Victoria stairs), serves the pier along with sets of vertical ladders which are positioned at intervals along the inner face. This face also retains vertical timber settings, used to protect the structure from the movement of moored craft and iron mooring hooks. Modern railings are set into the granite coping which also shows evidence of interventions from the presence of earlier railings or mooring posts.<1>

A violent storm on December 16th, 1748, resulted in a great number of vessels being driven from their anchors in the Downs; and were forced onto the South Cost of the Isle of Thanet. Some vessels however reached safety in the little Harbour of Ramsgate.
This event seems to open the eyes of the Public and caused them to call for Ramsgate to be made into a ‘proper place for the reception of ships.’
Ramsgate’s position was deemed to be the only place that could be reached by vessels driven from their moorings in the Downs by a storm.
It was decided to construct a Harbour for vessels of a maximum capacity of 200 tons, this limit, based on the fact ‘that the great ships in the Downs are obliged to ride in a bad road, to be out of the way of the small vessels, which commonly lie in the small Downs; small vessels being often ill furnished with anchors and cables, frequently break free loose, and drive upon the large ships, which then run foul of each other; whereby sometimes a whole Fleet is set adrift; and in the opinion of Captain Conway (then an Elder Brother of the Trinity House) if a Harbour was made only for the reception of Ships of 200 tons, it would prevent nine-tenths of the damage that happens in the Downs.’ <2>




<1> Historic England The Royal Harbour, Ramsgate
<2> Ramsgate Harbour, John Smeaton

John Smeaton, Ramsgate Harbour (Monograph). SKE56296.

Historic England, The Royal Harbour, Ramsgate (Digital archive). SKE56260.

Ordinance Survey, 1872, Ramsgate Kent XXXVIII.1.23 (Map). SKE56259.

Ordinance Survey, 1872, Ramsgate Kent XXXVIII.5.3 (Map). SKE56258.