King William III Pier

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

This pier, which pre-dates the late 1600s, projects westwards into the harbour a short distance SE of Carrickfergus Castle. It is of curved plan form, with an advanced rounded end. It is of random rubble basalt with a c.2.5m high slightly battered wall along its exposed seaward (south) side. There is a narrow walkway along the inside face of this wall, accessed by stone steps at each end.

The sea wall shows several phases of construction, starting with a foundation course of random rubble fieldstones (probably the original structure), over which are several courses of squared stone blocks, all topped with quarried random rubble. This stonework is probably relatively recent and may be a rebuilt of an earlier wall; it is not shown on the earliest depictions of the harbour.

The pier is surfaced with random rubble and a flagged concrete walkway`. There are stone steps into the water along the inside (north) face of the pier and a vertical galvanised metal ladder at its seaward end. There are also cast-iron mooring bollards and several electric lamp posts along it. Bollards across its east end prevent unauthorised vehicular access.

A bronze plaqque mounted on the inside face of the sea wall towards its west end reads: "To commemorate/ the landing of/ Her Majesty Elizabeith II/ and His Royal Highness/ The Duke of Edinburgh/ at this pier/ on 8th August 1961". A more recent circular blue plaque at the west end of the wall reads: "To/ commemorate the landing of/ King William III/ at this pier/on/ 14th June/ 1690".

Historical information

A pier is depicted on a 1680 map of Carrickfergus. It is also shown on the 1832 OS map and subsequent editions. Comparison of its depiction on these various maps indicates the same footprint throughout this period, ie that it was never reconfigured to any significant extent.

This is said to be the pier where William III landed when he arrived in Ireland in 1690. An account of this event, written the following year, records: "on the 14th, being Saturday, he landed at Carrickfergus about 4 a'clock in the afternoon. His Majesty went through part of the town and viewed it". As there does not appear to have been any other pier in the neighbourhood at this time, it must have been the present one.Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip also landed here on 8 August 1961.

The Albert Edward pier runs south from the east end of the pier. It was started in 1881 and is named after the Prince of Wales who opened it in 1885.

References – Primary sources:
1. Map of Carrickfergus, 1680 (British Museum).
2. PRONI OS/6/1/52/1. First edition OS six-inch map, Co Antrim sheet 52 (1832).
3. PRONI OS/6/1/52/2. Second edition OS six-inch map, Co Antrim sheet 52 (1857).
4. PRONI OS/6/1/52/3. Third edition OS six-inch map, Co Antrim sheet 52 (1901-02).
5. PRONI OS/6/1/52/6. Fourth edition OS six-inch map, Co Antrim sheet 52 (1920-21).
6. Plaques on old and new piers.

References - Secondary sources:
1. Story, G.W. An Impartial History of the Affairs of Ireland (London 1691).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
D. Plan Form
F. Structural System
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

This stone pier is strategically located in the defendable shadow of the Norman Castle and is of national interest as the traditional landing place of King William III who subsequently engaged with James II (whom he had deposed in 1688) at the Battle of the Boyne.