[5] The pier was primarily intended as a landing stage for packet boats to Dieppe, France, but it also featured a small number of attractions including a camera obscura.

An esplanade with an entrance toll-booth controlled access to the pier which was roughly in line with the New Steine.

Turner and Constable both made paintings of the pier, King William IV landed on it, and it was even the subject of a song.

They were saved this task by a storm that destroyed the already-closed and decrepit pier on 4 December 1896.

[6] The remains of some of the pier's oak piles could be seen at low tides around 2010, however, as of 2021, they are no longer visible.