Thursday 25 February 2016

Colour Collaborative: February: Metal












Jutting out 800' into the swirling Bristol Channel is Clevedon pier. One of only two Grade I listed piers in the country, it was called "The most beautiful pier in England" by the late poet laureate, Sir John Betjeman. It is made of 370 tons of wrought ironwork, and incredibly was moved into position by hand, before being raised by a crane. The pier is somewhere we pass by often, a landmark on this Victorian seafront, yet it came close to being demolished not so long ago.

It was opened in 1869 to facilitate the journey to Wales, just over the other side of the water and visible in the photos above. Ferries would stop at the end of the pier, at one of the docking points built to accommodate the 49' tidal range. As time went on the Severn railway tunnel opened, in 1891, incredibly taking passengers underneath the river, and meaning less custom for the ferries. Excursions in the Bristol Channel became popular though, and paddeships and steamers would pick people up for pleasure trips.

Then in 1970, disaster struck. Two of the immense spans collapsed under load testing and the pier was closed. The pier's future was uncertain for years, and moves were made to demolish it. A Preservation Trust was formed to save the pier, and Sir John Betjeman spoke in support of its restoration.

Supporters raised over £100,000 towards a feasibility study and the local authority and English Heritage also chipped in. When the decision was taken to save the pier, English Heritage and the National Heritage Memorial Fund each donated £637,000 towards the costs. Many smaller donations were also made.

The pier was dismantled and the ironwork taken to nearby docks for restoration before being painstakingly reassembled. In 1989 the pier re-opened, with the beautiful pagoda at the end being opened in 1998. It's somewhere I always love to walk. The water and the sky are always mesmerising, changing according to the weather and the season. Every shade of grey is there, and at low tide rich brown mud, beloved of wading birds who dabble about looking for worms and tiny crustaceans.

On wild days I tie my hair back and hold on to the rail while the wind whips waves into the water. While the currents underneath are deadly, waves are unusual this far up the channel. The mud is churned up into a milky cocoa colour. On days like this there are only browns and greys. It makes you forget your worries and reminds you how good it is to be alive.


When the weather is more benevolent, the end of the pier is the best place to sit and watch the sunset. Sometimes the sky above the horizon will be the palest duck egg blue and the water will be shattered fiery sun. On a really good day there will be lavender grey clouds rimmed with gold. Over the years countless people have gazed out over the water from here, taking a moment to pause and sigh and think how beautiful it all is. I'm very grateful to the people who campaigned to save this lovely landmark. I think Sir John Betjeman would have approved.


To visit the other Colour Collaborative blogs for more of this month's posts, just click on the links below:

            Annie at Annie Cholewa                           Gillian at Tales from a Happy House

             Jennifer at Thistlebear                            Sarah at Mitenska

What is The Colour Collaborative?

All creative bloggers make stuff, gather stuff, shape stuff, and share stuff. Mostly they work on their own, but what happens when a group of them work together? Is a creative collaboration greater than the sum of its parts? We think so and we hope you will too. We'll each be offering our own monthly take on a colour related theme, and hoping that in combination our ideas will encourage us, and perhaps you, to think about colour in new ways.

32 comments:

  1. That certainly is a beautiful pier and how wonderful that it was saved for future generations to enjoy. xx

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  2. A lovely post. I've been past the pier once or twice, but never walked on it. Think I'll have to make a visit.
    Cathy x

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  3. What an amazing structure - very beautiful and slightly incongruous in its situation (in a good way). I love the way the colour of it changes depending on the light. I'm sure I could while away quite a bit of time on it. Lovely. x

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  4. Wonderful images of this amazing pier dear C.J., thank goodness it was saved. I love the different moods and colours of the sky and water you have captured, they are truly mesmerising.
    Happy weekend!
    xoxoxo ♡

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  5. What a beautiful pier. I'm so glad that people took the trouble to save it. I always learn something new when I visit your blog. xx

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  6. You write so beautifully about the structure of the pier and its surroundings. I've never seen any of it in person but I felt like I'd had the chance through your descriptions of it. The pier is beautiful and a real feat of engineering, considering its location. I'm really happy to know that people were able to save it. What an interesting post, CJ. Thanks for sharing.

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  7. Well, this is just lovely. You've transported us there, CJ. What more can a writer try to do? I'm so glad they saved the pier. I don't usually think of metal as beautiful but you have convinced me today. This was very well done, you have a gift!

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  8. A most enjoyable, and interesting, post and lovely pictures. Flighty xx

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  9. I've enjoyed your blog post tremendously CJ, thank You!
    Greetings from Chicago!

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  10. Fantastic post. I do love a pier and I'm so glad they saved this beauty. There's something a bit disconcerting but also thrilling about walking so far out into the sea, don't you think? Cracking photos too. Xx

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  11. Some views of the pier make it look very flimsy which I guess it's not!

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  12. So interesting to read the history of the pier and wonderful that this amazing Victorian feat of engineering is still standing. What a shame we no longer have steel foundries able to manufacture such beautiful edifices. I like to think that Victorian passengers might have set sail in a paddle steamer from here for Lundy. I haven't stood on a pier for a while but I always love the feeling of being suspended above the ever-moving sea,

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  13. I love Clevedon..it is definitely my favourite British pier. Your photos as always are fabulous. You are so lucky to live nearby . B xx

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  14. I am SO glad the people joined together to save and restore your gorgeous pier. I love positive stories like this. Just think of the historical treasures that are lost due to lack of care by the people. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  15. Thanks for sharing this beautiful multi-hued metal work near you, CJ. Your great photos and narrative help me to understand and agree with why you treasure it, and are grateful for those who have maintained it! xx

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  16. Lovely photos, right out of one of the Poirot episodes. hehe. The metal color and the winter light is very nice.

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  17. A wonderful pier, a wonderful piece of writing and a wonderful post! xx

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  18. Hey CJ,
    Clevedon and Weston Piers were two landmarks of my childhood. You've written such a beautiful piece of writing to accompany those gorgeous photos. The Victorians were spot on with their engineering feats. I love all that wrought ironwork.
    Leanne xx

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  19. A beautiful pier, thank goodness for the forethought of the people who donated and saved it for future generations.

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  20. It is a beautiful pier. And to think it came so close to demolition.

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  21. What an amazing structure. I am not aware of any such great piers in my neck of the woods. It does look a little rickety from the side, doesn't it? Too fragile to withstand the enormous tidal forces. I would love to enjoy a sunset on this pier, maybe with an ice lolly in my hand. I rather like the image on you with your hair tied back, walking into the wind. Have a lovely weekend. xx

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  22. Beautiful place! Spring tide of over 47 feet from lower water and that must be awesome to see up close. Very pretty photos! Thank you for your post!

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  23. Very interesting CJ - what a novelty to have such a structure nearby. Love that first photo!

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  24. I love these photos and the descriptions, CJ. I especially like the picture of the chocolatey brown wave, although it doesn't look too fun to ride. I would have never known about this if you didn't share about it here <3.

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  25. The pier is lovely and it's good know that these magnificent structures are being preserved. When I was little we always walked along the pier when visiting seaside towns, it's a very British thing don't you think? Have a great weekend CJ xx

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  26. I can see why you like this pier CJ and thank goodness that it was saved - it's such a gem! Thanks for sharing
    Caz xx

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  27. I love piers and it looks so good against the blue sky and it such a great thing to choose from your collaborative! It looked so grey when we saw it in September. Sarah x

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  28. I own a little share in the pier through its new restoration project so love to see your posts of it. My great uncle used to be one of the paddle steamer pilots and my grandparents are buried in the graveyard looking down on it.

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  29. I'm one of the many who bought a plank to aid the restoration of the pier. There is a brass plaque with our daughters names on it - probably in need of a bit of Brasso by now! We stood at the pier end one evening to watch the boat come in from Wales. When it docked the whole pier end shook. It was only a few weeks later that it collapsed! We used to sail our old clinker-built national 12 from the slipway and it was sometimes quite a business to sail against the tide.

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  30. Love these pictures! Interesting to learn about the pier too.

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