Cullercoats, North and South Piers

The first pier at Cullercoats was wooden and was built in 1677 by the lease holders of Whitley Colliery and Lady Elizabeth Percy, sole hieress of the eleventh Earl of Northumberland, to export coal. It took five years to build and cost £3,013 13s 6d. Cullercoats Port was put under the charge of the Custom House Officer at Blyth. In 1710 the wooden pier was severely damaged in a storm. It was deemed unsafe, the new pier was designed by John Dobson and built in stone with voluntary labour by fishermen and pilots between 1847-48. The end part was rebuilt in 1880. There are original drawings of the piers in Alnwick Castle. Pier now covered by sea at high tide. A photographic recording was undertaken by Scott Wilson in 2010 during improvement works. The report concluded that the North Pier had greater architectural merit than the South. Both piters form an intrinsic part of the historical development of Cullercoats and represent important historical heriage assets within the area.