Cromer Pier Celebrates 125 Years

Cromer Pier opened on June 1901 and cost £17,000 to build. The Pier has borne the brunt of some serious storms in 1949, 1953, 1976 and 1978. On 14 November 1993 a 100-ton barge crashed into it cutting off both the Pavilion Theatre and the lifeboat station.

The History of Cromer Pier:

Cromer Pier’s history in fact stretches back to 1391, when a wooden jetty was built in the town close to where the current pier is located. It appears to have been maintained until 1580 according to historic letters granting the right to levy duties for repairs. 

In 1582 Queen Elizabeth I granted the townspeople of Cromer the right to export wheat, barley and malt to permit the maintenance of their town and the rebuilding of the jetty. Fast forward to 1822 and a new 210 foot (64 metre) jetty was built, made from cast iron by Hase of Saxthorpe it was washed away in 1843.

The last wooden jetty was constructed in 1846, slightly longer at 240 feet (73 metres) and popular for promenading with a keeper hired to maintain order. Ladies were not allowed on it after 9pm. Like the jetties before it, this one was also destroyed - damaged in 1890 by heavy seas, it was dismantled and the wood sold for £40.

The Cromer Protection Commissioners decided a fashionable new structure was required and under the Cromer Protection Act of 1899 the current pier was built. It opened on 8 June 1901, cost £17,000 to construct and was an impressive 450 feet (140 metres) long.

The pier’s original glass shelters were roofed over in 1905 to create a pavilion, and an earlier bandstand gave way to a stage and proscenium arch – the Pavilion Theatre was born. On 14 November 1993 a 100-ton barge crashed into it cutting off both the Pavilion Theatre and the lifeboat station. The lifeboat station has been at the end of the Pier since 1923. During the Second World War part of the pier structure was removed for defence purposes, the gap bridged by planks to allow continued lifeboat launches.

In recent times, the pier is a significant focus for culture, tourism and heritage in north Norfolk, acting as driver to the local economy with its fame and reputation reaching far beyond the county of Norfolk. Many events take place at the Pier including Cromer Carnival, Crab & Lobster Festival, the Cromer RNLI Lifeboat Day, Paws on the Pier and the New Year's Day fireworks. Today the Pavilion Theatre (which opened in 1905) is host to the world’s only full-season End of the Pier Show. With more than 230 performances each year, around 75,000 visitors enjoy the mixture of variety, dance, comedy and magic acts.

North Norfolk District Council has owned the pier since its formation in 1974, and manages a programme of maintenance and repairs to ensure the pier has a secure future, despite the challenging environment it sits in.

Find out more here.