TQ3103 : Palace Pier
taken 6 years ago, near to Brighton and Hove, England
Opened in 1899, Brighton Palace Pier was one of the last piers to be constructed in England. Designed by R St George Moore, it was to be built solely as an amusement and pleasure emporium. At 1,760ft (533.3m) in length, and boasting a wider than usual deck, the pier had everything the discerning tripper could wish for. A 1,500-seater pavilion at the seaward end was complemented by smaller pavilions containing dining rooms, grill rooms, smoking rooms and reading rooms. There were ornamental arches for the electrical illuminations, and an electric tramway ran up the centre. Provision for bathers at the pier head, and a landing stage for pleasure craft completed the picture.
In 1984 the pier was purchased by the Noble organisation who renamed it Brighton Pier; however, most locals still prefer to continue to refer to it as the Palace Pier.
Link
Listed buildings and structures are officially designated as being of special architectural, historical or cultural significance. There are over half a million listed structures in the United Kingdom, covered by around 375,000 listings.
Listed status is more commonly associated with buildings or groups of buildings, however it can cover many other structures, including bridges, headstones, steps, ponds, monuments, walls, phone boxes, wrecks, parks, and heritage sites, and in more recent times a road crossing (Abbey Road) and graffiti art (Banksy 'Spy-booth') have been included.
In England and Wales there are three main listing designations;
Grade I (2.5%) - exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important.
Grade II* (5.5%) - particularly important buildings of more than special interest.
Grade II (92%) - nationally important and of special interest.
There are also locally listed structures (at the discretion of local authorities) using A, B and C designations.
In Scotland three classifications are also used but the criteria are different. There are around 47,500 Listed buildings.
Category A (8%)- generally equivalent to Grade I and II* in England and Wales
Category B (51%)- this appears generally to cover the ground of Grade II, recognising national importance.
Category C (41%)- buildings of local importance, probably with some overlap with English Grade II.
In Northern Ireland the criteria are similar to Scotland, but the classifications are:
Grade A (2.3%)
Grade B+ (4.7%)
Grade B (93%)
Read more at Wikipedia Link