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Islay, Bowmore, Pier

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Pier (Period Unassigned)

Site Name Islay, Bowmore, Pier

Classification Pier (Period Unassigned)

Alternative Name(s) Main Street; High Street; Loch Indaal

Canmore ID 142594

Site Number NR35NW 43

NGR NR 3103 5998

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/142594

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Digital Images

Oblique aerial view of the village of Bowmore, taken from the NNW.
Oblique aerial view of the village of Bowmore, taken from the NNW.View from NNW looking up Main St from pier with church in backgroundOblique aerial view of the village of Bowmore, taken from the ESE.Islay, Bowmore, Pier View from SSE showing SE frontGeneral oblique aerial view of the village centred on the church with the whisky distillery and pier adjacent, taken from the SSE.Gneral oblique aerial view of the village of Bowmore, taken from the WSW.Oblique aerial view of the village of Bowmore, taken from the N.Bowmore Pier, Islay, Killarow And Kilmeny, Argyll and ButeBowmore Pier, Islay, Killarow And Kilmeny, Argyll and ButeBowmore and Loch Indaal, Islay. Oblique aerial photograph taken facing north-east. This image has been produced from a print.Bowmore Pier, Islay, Killarow And Kilmeny, Argyll and ButeBowmore Pier, Islay, Killarow And Kilmeny, Argyll and ButeGeneral oblique aerial view of Bowmore village, Islay, centred on the pier, whisky distillery and church, taken from the NW.General oblique aerial view of Bowmore village, Islay with Loch Inndal beyond, taken from the SE.Oblique aerial view of the village of Bowmore, taken from the NW.Bowmore and Loch Indaal, Islay. Oblique aerial photograph taken facing north. This image has been produced from a print.

Administrative Areas

  • Council Argyll And Bute
  • Parish Killarow And Kilmeny
  • Former Region Strathclyde
  • Former District Argyll And Bute
  • Former County Argyll

Archaeology Notes

NR35NW 43 3103 5998.

For Flying Boat Base see NR35NW 60.00

The first pier was built in 1750 by order of the Islay Stent Committee. The stonework of the orginal pier, some of which is still visible, had a wooden staging added in the late 1800s.

In 1940 the RAF began work altering the pier to provide safe shelter for the launches used to service Sunderland flying boats based on Loch Indaal (NR35NW 60.00). The work involved sheet piling along the inner face and an increase in height using pre-cast concrete blocks. The length of the pier was considerably increased, and using Dutch engineers, a massive stone breakwater was also constructed to the E projecting beyond the pierhead to provide protection to the harbour basin. In addition, a limited amount of dredging was carried out to maintain the minimum depth of 2.5m for the launches, fuel tamkers and other shipping using the pier. At the end of the war the dredging ceased and subsequently the harbour has begun to silt up.

Today, due to the lack of adequate foundations there are problems with the pier extension and repairs are now constantly needed.

Information from Ileach, Vol 25, 1998 (Bowmore Harbour Association).

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