North Ronaldsay, South Bay, Steamer Pier
Pier (19th Century), Storehouse (19th Century)
Site Name North Ronaldsay, South Bay, Steamer Pier
Classification Pier (19th Century), Storehouse (19th Century)
Alternative Name(s) South Bay Pier
Canmore ID 3676
Site Number HY75SE 28
NGR HY 75021 52232
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/3676
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Cross And Burness
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
Field Visit (August 1979)
The island's steamer pier of stone and concrete, recently
extended. It formerly ended in a slipway arrangement for
launching the now defunct mail-boat to Sanday; the rails for this
still run from the pier up to a storage bay formed within the
sheep dyke. Hand-operated crane now disused, by Butler Bros.
Glasgow, old-fashioned type but said to be installed after World
War II, replacing wooden-boom crane remains of which lie on shore
below pier warehouse. The remains of the carriage on which the
mail-boat was launched lie at 7511 5250.
Information from Orkney SMR (RGL) Aug 79.
Note (1980)
Steamer Pier, North Ronaldsay HY 7501 5222 HY75SE
Interesting features of the pier are the rails formerly used to launch the mailboat which used to link the island with Sanday, and a hand-operated crane by Butler Bros of Glasgow.
RCAHMS 1980
(OR 241)
Field Visit (1999)
A 19th C store house is located at the head of the pier. Constructed from mortared stone, it has a pitched, slated roof and arched doorways. It measures 8m in length by 6m in width. A weighbridge is located to the landward side of the building.
The South Bay Pier, also known as Steamer Pier, retains the rails which were used to launch the mailboat which linked the island with Sanday. Ref.: RCAHMS (1980), #212.
Moore & Wilson 1999.
Coastal Zone Assessment Survey, 1999
