Harbour

The Harbour & The Pier

There has been a pier in Scarborough for many years, which was in a poor state of repair.
The pier, dates its origin from the time of Henry III (1207-1272), who made a grant of Forty oaks from his woods for the construction of a harbour at Scarborough.
In the 36th year of his reign, Henry III granted the bailiffs, burgesses, and inhabitants' specific duties to be taken on all merchants' ships and fishing vessels, ’to make an new port with timber and stone.’
This pier was an ancient structure and not suitable for the needs of the town.
There was a lighthouse at the end of the old pier which gave a signal by the day and light at night to denote the proper time for ships and boats to enter the harbour.

West Pier

In 1546, the harbour users and local property owners had to contribute to its upkeep. The people of Scarborough were not happy with this arrangement. They petitioned Queen Elizabeth, who granted royal aid in the form of five hundred pounds in cash, 6 tons of iron and 100 tons of timber to rebuild the harbour.

In 1732, George II passed an act for enlarging and renewing the pier and the harbour, which was in a dangerous and dilapidated state, so much so that many ships were driven against the rocks following violent storms, the pier and harbour offering no shelter.
The cost to renew the pier was twelve thousand pounds. William Lelam and other engineers were employed to extend the pier from near the old locker-house westward and curving it out to sea at the extremity. Engineer William Vincent took over as the engineer, and the project was completed in 1746.
According to Hinderwell, ’The whole of this pier is still to be known as ’The Old Pier, but the new section should after that be known as ’Vincent's Pier’ after the engineer who finished it' (The new part was at the time of building easily distinguishable near the locker-room and recognisable from the different modes of building and the greater regularity of the stones.)

The new pier was over 1300 feet in length and built with stones from the nearby White Nabb Quarry transported in flat-bottom boats known as ’floats’ and placed at their destination by a simple mechanical invention constructed for the purpose. This quarry was a natural source of local interest and situated about a mile from Scarborough ‘Spaw’. lt contained large masses of stones and flat rocks, some weighing 20-30 tons.
This new structure took 26 years to complete. A lighthouse was also added to this extension but was demolished in 1914 following the German bombardment, though rebuilt in 1936.

The "Belle"

The "Belle" at Scarborough Pier Lighthouse

Galvanised steel statue of a female swimmer diving from a steel pole.
Together with the 19th century female Victorian swimmer, Bathing Belle it shows the contrast between the tradition at the beginning of Scarborough's popularity as Spa resort and the present day.
'Bathing Belle' was unveiled 24 April 2008 and stood until 2017 on Westborough in front of Brunswick Shopping Center and was placed on the present location in 2019.

Inscription(s)

The Scarborough Belles
The Bathing Belle on Westborough (2008) and
The Diving Belle on Vincent's Pier (2007)
Designed as a pair, celebrates Scarborough as the U.K.'s
first sea-bathing resort, from the 17th Century through
to her regeneration in the 21st Century

DONORS
Mr G Oxley
Mr W Burnard
Mr & Mrs D Stonehouse

The West Pier was completed in 1822 by Engineer William Chapman and extended many times to incorporate Outer Island Pier eventually. In 1928 Corporation Wharf (North Pier) was constructed, and another extension called Chicken Walk Jetty was added, making access for vessels easier.