Old Chain Pier, Brighton
The Royal Suspension Chain Pier was the first major pier built in Brighton. Opened in 1823, it was destroyed during a storm in 1896.
Designed by Captain S. Brown.
1823 'BRIGHTON CHAIN PIER.
Brighton, that region of fashion and pleasure, is, in consequence of the favourable change in the state of the weather, filling rapidly. Amongst the arrivals of last week we noticed Lord Sefton and family, Lord Petre and family, Lord Egremont arid family, and several other fashionables.
The Chain Pier, which is an object of universal attraction, is proceeding rapidly; indeed it now appears to be nearly completed. The Esplanade leading from the foot of the old Steyne to the Pier, is 1250 feet in length, and contains a carriage road 24 feet wide, and a foot path, paved in a similar manner to the Steyne, upwards of 10 feet wide.
The Pier is erected opposite the new Steyne ; its foundation is formed of four clusters of piles, driven at the distance of 260 feet one cluster from the other. The three first clusters consist of twenty piles driven perpendicularly, and several braces are laid horizontally from pile to pile for further security. These piles are driven from seven to ten feet each into chalky bottom, and are thirteen feet above high water mark. The cluster at the extremity of the Pier consists of 100 piles, driven perpendicularly, and several driven diagonally. From this part of the building flights of steps are led to the water's edge, to afford convenience for persons embarking or landing on the pier. Upon each cluster of piles on each side the platform, and at a distance of ten feet from each other, are erected two iron towers, of pyramidical form, twenty feet high. These are to be fitted up as reading rooms, and as shops for the sale of refreshments. The platform is twelve feet wide, and formed of planks three inches thick. These planks rest on rafters which are sustained by a strong iron bar running beneath each extremity of the platform. The whole pier is sustained by immense iron chains, four in number on each side. These chains are formed of iron rods, or links, 104 in number, each ten feel long, and 5 1/2 inches in circumference, and each weighing 112 lbs. These rods or links are connected by moveable joints, each joint being covered by what is denominated a saddle - from each of which passes an iron suspending rod, as it is called, which is connected with the iron bar on which the platform rests, and thus the whole is supported. The chains which support this enormous weight are led through the cliff across the Marine Parade, and into the new Steyne, where, at a depth of 50 feet from the surface, they are secured by a large iron plate weighing 25 cwt. and bedded in strong cement. The chains are then carried across the iron towers, and at the extremity of the pier they are carried to the bottom of the sea, and there bedded with a weight of sixty tons of Purbeck stone laid upon them for a security. A handsome iron railing runs runs along each side of the pier, in height three feet two inches, and the flooring is somewhat raised in the centre, to cause the water in case of rain to run off with greater celerity. This is the general outline of the plan upon which Captain Brown has constructed this ingenious specimen of mechanism. Some persons pretend to entertain apprehensions of its solidity, and of its capability to sustain the heavy seas which will be thrown upon it the South West gales; but whoever will look at Yarmouth Jetty, or the pier at Ostend, and several other works of a similar description, will no longer doubt of the capability of piles to resist and to sustain heavy seas and severe gales. Should the Chain Pier succeed as to durability, it will unquestionably prove a work both of utility and of ornament to this favourite place of fashionable resort. The work has been carried on under the direction and superintendance of Captain Brown, of the Royal Navy, and does him infinite credit as an architect and a mechanist. '[1]
1824 The pier withstood a 'tremendous gale', sustaining damage only to the wooden decking and to items of ornamentation.[2]
From The Engineer, 4 March 1892: Brighton Chain Pier, opened in November, 1823, was designed by Captain S. Brown, R.N., who first suggested that the chains should be made of straight wrought iron rods or bars, from 5ft. to 15ft. in length, with either welded eyes or holes drilled at their ends, by which they might be connected either by short links or pins. This invention be patented in 1817. The Brighton Pier extends into the sea 1014ft. from the face of the esplanade wall, and its entire length is 1136ft., formed with four openings, each spanning 255ft., with a deflection of 18ft. The extreme breadth of the platform is 13ft., and in the clear width 12ft. 8in. The pyramidal suspension towers are made of cast iron, united by an arch at the top ; they are l0ft. apart and 25ft. high, and each weighs about 15 tons. They are placed on piles driven firmly into the chalk, which stand out about 13ft. above high-water; these groups of piles are 256ft. distant from each other, leave a clear opening of 227ft. The pier-head has the form of a T, and 150 piles were used, besides braces and diagonals; over them the platform is 80ft. by 40ft., which is paved with granite 12in. thick, the weight of which is upwards of 200 tons. Each of the ordinary groups of piles consists of twenty. The four main chains on each side which carry the platform are formed of wrought iron, round-eye bolts about 2in. in diameter, 10ft. long, and weighing 112lb. each ; they are united by open coupling links 1 1/2in. deep and lin. thick, with the bolt pins 2in. in diameter. The total area of the section of the iron in the chains is 25 square inches. The platform is suspended by vertical rods 1in. in diameter and 5ft. apart."