Telford’s massive ramped pier preserves the landing place of a ferry route that linked the Black Isle and Inverness for centuries.
Quick facts
- Date
- Early 19th century
- Architect / designer
- Thomas Telford
- Type
- Ramped sandstone-ashlar ferry pier
- Designation
- Listed building, Category C (LB13464)
- OS grid reference
- NH 65585 47831
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
Massive sandstone ashlar side walls contain a ramped surface that was first cobbled and later thinly covered with concrete. Weathering and flaking expose the layered construction of a structure built to meet the firth.
Its story
Thomas Telford engineered the pier in the early nineteenth century. The Kessock ferry remained a vital communication route until the Kessock Bridge opened in 1982, although this pier had been abandoned earlier.
Why it is included
Category C listing protects tangible infrastructure from the ferry system that organised movement around the Beauly Firth before the bridge.
What to notice
- The massive ashlar side walls.
- Surviving cobbles beneath later concrete.
- The ramp’s alignment with the tidal shore.
Reading the surroundings
Observe tides, slippery surfaces and exposed edges. Do not treat the disused pier as maintained harbour infrastructure or enter the water.
Timeline
- Early 19th century Thomas Telford designed the ramped ferry landing.
- Before 1982 This particular pier ceased active ferry use.
- 1982 Opening of the Kessock Bridge ended the historic crossing service.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The precise abandonment date and current structural condition were not established.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Old Ferry Pier, Kessock, LB13464 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB13464 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
- Black Isle Info: North Kessock — Local account of the 700-year ferry route and its closure in 1982.
Location
OS grid reference NH 65585 47831 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; an additional source confirms the Place relationship, history or current identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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