History
The island was originally called Bearn Back, derived from the Old English words burn and bæc which mean The spring brook island. It was pronounced by locals as Be-arn Back which has since become corrupted into the current name Birnbeck. The rock is limestone, giving rise to the geological term "Birnbeck Limestone Formation".
Prior to the construction of the pier, Birnbeck Island could be accessed by a causeway at low tide. The two eldest sons of local noble Sir Charles Abraham Elton were drowned in 1819 after being caught out by the tide on the causeway.
A proposal was made in 1845 to connect Birnbeck Island to the mainland at the western end of Worlebury Hill. Work commenced on a suspension bridge two years later under a design by James Dredge, architect of the Victoria Bridge in Bath. He patented the 'Taper principle' based on using chains rather than cables, as is more common in suspension bridges. Dredge's bridge design was considered "a very significant yet relatively short-lived phase in suspension bridge development". During a strike by stonemasons, what little had been built was damaged during storm, bringing about the end to the suspension bridge scheme.
Read more about this topic: Birnbeck Pier
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