The Gareloch, as its name implies, is a short loch, merely six or seven miles in length from the narrows to Garelochhead. Before the age of steam, there were two important ferries, from Roseneath to Row point at the mouth of the loch, and between Rahane and Shandon about halfway up the loch towards Garelochhead. In 1833, Robert Napier, the engineer and shipbuilder, purchased a house at West Shandon, next to the ferry, and in the 1840s, expanded the house and its policies. At the time, the ferry at Shandon was a calling point for the steamers on the Gareloch.

Feuing on the east bank of the Gareloch expanded from Row and the village of Shandon, at the southern end of the West Shandon estate, developed in popularity although the absence of a pier restricted its appeal. Robert Napier died in 1876 and West Shandon was sold. The new owners had plans to turn the lavish mansion into a hydropathic, offering salt-water swimming and Turkish baths. Clearly a pier in the neighbourhood would be an important asset in attracting custom to the new development.

In 1878, the Trustees of the late Sir James Colquhoun of Luss agreed to construct a pier. North of the West Shandon estate, lay the relatively unspoilt beauty of Faslane Bay where little feuing had taken place, and it was there that the pier was built. The residents of the village of Shandon had to content themselves with the ferry call.

“Shandon Pier.—The Trustees of the late Sir James Colquhoun, Bart., of Luss, are prepared to receive offers for the erection of a wooden pier at Ballernick, Shandon, Gareloch. Drawings of the works to be done may be seen at the office of the undersigned, and copies of the specification and duplicate copies of the tender and schedule of quantities may be had there on payment of a fee of 21s. Offers to be lodged with the undersigned not later than 12 noon on Monday the 20th inst. endorsed “Tender for Shandon Pier.” The Trustees do not bind themselves to accept the lowest or any offer.—Wm. Robertson Copland, Civil Engineer. 63 W. Regent Street, Glasgow. May 1878.”—Glasgow Herald, May 6, 1878

“Opening of the new Shandon pier—To-day.—A number of Greenock gentlemen left by the steamer Balmoral at half-past ten this forenoon for Shandon, to take part in the ceremony of the opening of the new pier there to-day. The Balmoral is gaily decorated with flags, bunting, and evergreens in honour of the occasion.”—Greenock Telegraph, September 21, 1878

“Ballernick Pier, Shandon, Gareloch.—On Saturday, a long-felt want was supplied to those frequenting the Gareloch by the opening of a new pier Ballernick, Shandon. The pier is situated above Carnfan Point, directly in front of the old toll-bouse, and the erection of a pier at this point is not only a very great public convenience, but will add much towards the benefit of this portion of the Gareloch, while its close proximity to the new Hydropathic Establishment at Shandon brings that place within easy reach. The length of the new undertaking is 275 feet, with an access gangway 15 feet wide, ending with a pointed T-shaped pierhead, 95ft long by 33ft wide in the centre, and 26 ft wide at the ends. The plan thus adopted of tapering the pierhead will add to the facility of steamers taking and leaving the pier. The piles are all of the best pitch pine, protected on certain portions from attack or injury of the marine worm by flat scupperheaded nails, the whole being firmly braced and tied together by strong timber wales and joists. On the pierhead a nice waiting-room has been erected for the convenience of passengers, and a strong slip for the landing of horses and cattle has also been provided. The average depth of water at low tide is 18 feet, while full tide it is 28 feet. The approach to the pier at the other end has been made by widening out the roadway to form a carriage access, protected by a fence wall of finely dressed streaked rubble, built of redstone from the contractor’s quarry at Wemyss Bay. Altogether the pier is another handsome addition to those already on the Clyde. It has been erected by the trustees of the late Sir James Colquhoun, Bart, of Luss, the contract for which was secured by Bailie Kennedy, of Partick, in June last, immediately after his completion of the Barremman pier, situated lower down on the opposite side of the Gareloch. The work is of the most substantial description in every respect, and has been completed in the short space of three months, and within the contract time, according to the plans and specification of Mr. W. R. Copland, C.E., Glasgow; and surveyor for the neighbouring burgh of Johnstone.”—Paisley Gazette, September, 28, 1878

The pier at Ballernick was well advertised for visitors to the Hydropathic but did little for the many feuars of Shandon, and one might surmise that traffic was light. Matters came to a head in 1882 when the North British Railway opened its new pier at Craigendoran. In order to speed up the traffic, the company decided to drop the call at Shandon ferry, leaving ballernick as the only alternative, over a mile from the village. Just four years later, the residents of Shandon took the matter into their own hands and constructed a new pier in the village. It was as convenient for the hydropathic as Ballernick. To avoid the unpleasantness of litigation, an arrangement was mad with the Colquhoun Trustees, that after construction, the pier would be handed over to them and they would close Ballernick.

Shandon Hydro

Shandon Hydro

Shandon Hydro

Rahane across the Gareloch from the golf course of Shandon Hydro

Shandon Hydro from above Clynder in 1935

“Arrangements are being made for the erection of a pier on iron pillars at Shandon. The new pier will be run out opposite the Free Church, and when completed will be a great convenience to residents, as the present pier at Balernock is nearly a mile above the village.”—Helensburgh News, January 28, 1886

“Shandon.—Another pier on the Gareloch—The distance from Row to the head of Gareloch is under six miles. At present in that distance there are seven piers and a ferry, but that is not sufficient for the wants of the residents, and arrangements have been made for the erection of an iron pier 200 feet tong, commencing opposite to the Free Church at Shandon. The new pier will be of similar design to Craigmore Pier, near Rothesay.”—Lennox Herald, April 17, 1886

“New pier.—It is proposed, we learn, to erect a new pier at Shandon, at a point opposite the Free Church. Mr Bell, of Summerhill, has taken a great interest in promoting the contemplated improvement, which will, when completed, be of great advantage to the residents in the neighbourhood. The pier will, it is thought, be ready for the traffic early next year.”—Helensburgh News, July, 30, 1885.

“Opening of the new pier at Shandon.—The new pier at Shandon, which has been finished for several weeks, is to be opened for passenger traffic on Monday. It is placed opposite the Free Church, and will therefore be a great convenience to the residents of Shandon. The pier, which was erected a mile further up the loch several years ago, will be closed on Monday.”—Helensburgh News, October 28, 1886

Shandon Church from the pier around 1905

Shandon from the water around 1905

 

North British steamer Dandie Dinmont at Shandon

“New pier at Shandon.—From the time when steamers first began to ply on the Gareloch there was a ferryboat station in connection with them at Shandon, where all the steamers, used to call. For the long period of half a century the Shandon ferry continued under the management of Mr Duncan M‘Kinlay, who still survives. But in 1882 the erection of Craigendoran steamboat harbour by the North British Railway Company, involving the calling of their Gareloch steamer both at Craigendoran and Helensburgh, led to its withdrawal from the Shandon ferryboat station. This for a period of fully four years has been felt by the inhabitants of the Shandon district, the most populous on the east shore of the Gareloch between Row and Garelochhead, to be a very great inconvenience, and to supply a want, amounting in many cases to a positive hardship, the new pier now completed at Shandon has been erected by the following neighbouring proprietors— Messrs Henry Bell, Summerhill; William L. Brown, Linnburn; John J. Kerr, Ardgare; Andrew C. Henderson, Shandon; Andrew J. Kirkpatrick, Lagbuie; Wm. Swan, LL.D., Ardchapel; and William J. Walker, Garemount. In terms of an agreement made by the promoters of the pier with the trustees of the late Sir Jas. Colquhoun, Bart., the pier, as now completed, is handed over to them, and becomes their sole property as a portion of the Colquhoun trust estates, to be used and maintained by the trustees on the same conditions as their other piers on the Gareloch. The new pier, situated at a point on the shore directly opposite Shandon Free Church, has been erected solely at the expense of the promoters above-named, and including the obtaining a feu-disposition for its site from the Board of Trade, and other necessary expenses, will cost them, it is understood, somewhere about £1500. The piles throughout are of greenheart timber, faced and coped at the pierhead with elm wood. The structure is an exceeding handsome one. The gangway and terminal platform are of creosoted pitch-pine, and on the pierhead there is a commodious waiting-room and piermaster’s office and store-room. The pier has been built by Messrs Watt & Wilson, contractors, from a design by Mr W. R. Copeland, C.E. Now that it is completed, it should afford to the inhabitants of the surrounding district the means of easy communication with Helensburgh and Greenock, and thus also with the Clyde river steamers generally, of which the want has been of late years so severely felt by them. Mr Vallance has been appointed pier master.”—Glasgow Herald, October 6, 1886

The Gareloch road near Shandon

Shandon pier in 1932 (Judges)

The pier was closed to passenger traffic in 1915, but remained in place and was used by the crews of steamships laid up in the Loch until the beginning of the second world war. It was finally demolished in 1980.

Monteith, J.; McCrorie, I. “Clyde Piers,” Inverclyde District Libraries, Greenock, 1982.