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Classically, beacons were fires lit at well-known locations on hills or high places, used either as lighthouses for navigation at sea, or for signalling over land that enemy troops were approaching, in order to alert defences. As signals, beacons are an ancient form of optical telegraphy, and were part of a relay. Many hills in the UK are called Beacon.

Seaside pleasure piers were first built during the early 19th century, and became popular during the Victorian era of the mid to late 1800s. During this period, the railways were expanding allowing mass tourism to the coastal resort towns. Pleasure piers allowed holiday makers to promenade over and alongside the sea at all times. Since the introduction of commercial flights from the 1950s holiday makers flocked abroad and the seaside towns lost the tourist trade. Many piers became unprofitable and fell into disrepair. Many have since been destroyed by storms, demolished, or lay derelict. The earliest pier was built at Ryde and opened 1814. It is still open to this day.
See pleasure piers of Great Britain Link