Jutting out into the Thames, the world's oldest remaining cast iron pier is back in private ownership after being saved from ruin and preserved by a council, we find out about the structure's 188-year history.

Gravesend Town Pier – which was designed by civil engineer William Tiernwey Clark and constructed by William Wood who lived in the area – opened on July 29, 1834.

The 260ft structure cost around £8,700 and sits on the site of the original Town Quay, which was mentioned in the Domesday Book.

Before the current structure was built in the 1830s, there was a timber pier which only stood for a year before it was burnt down during a riot by a group of seamen who had lost their fees for rowing passengers out to ships.

The replacement was built from cast-iron to make sure it survived for longer and included a stone ramp which was built to be used by the 'Freeman of the River'.

For the seven years after it opened, it is estimated that more than three million passengers were transported between Gravesend and the capital from the jetty at the end of West Street.

But it fell into disrepair in 1900 following the rise of the railway as less people used river transport – although it was still used for leisure cruises.

The pier was then used to house offices during the 1980s after it was purchased by a water and oil barge company.

In June 2000, Gravesham Borough Council (GBC) took on the structure to restore it and work was completed two years later including the addition of a restaurant.

The scheme was partly funded by Kent County Council, English Heritage, English Partnerships, the Heritage Lottery Fund, and The Manifold Trust.

Only a few years later in 2009, the pier was closed as tenants Q Breweries, went into administration, however a new lease was agreed a few months on with Culinary Solutions UK Ltd.

The company then re-opened the site as the Riva bar in November of that year although it was eventually repossessed by the local authority.

The order was sought in 2019 as a last resort following a lengthy but unsuccessful legal process aimed at recovering a substantial amount of money owed to the council by the tenants.

The space at the back has been vacant since but has been visited by ghost hunters and psychics claiming the building to be haunted.

Just in front of the entrance to the pier sits the 450-year-old Three Daws pub.

The tavern, which is the oldest in the town, became a favourite haunt of smugglers, who made use of its tunnels, and was regularly raided by press gangs wanting to enlist boozing seamen into the navy during the 1700s and 1800s.

In 2012, a 45m floating pontoon was opened to enable visiting boats to dock including the Waverley paddle steamer and to be used by a ferry service between Gravesend and Tilbury.

Last year, cabinet members at GBC decided to sell the pier and pontoon as running costs continued to increase so it could redirect funding into services for the borough's residents.

The pier – in one of its guises or another over its history – has been visited by numerous historical and royal figures during its almost 200-year history including TV presenter Michael Portillo who was spotted filming down at the site in June.

Back in the 1500s, bishop and statesman Cardinal Wolsey went from Gravesend to Greenwich and later his royal master Henry VIII visited the town from Erith.

King Christian of Denmark also used the pier to dock his fleets in 1606 while on a royal visit. He returned a few years later with Prince Henry.

Other royal passengers included Charles I, Queen Henrietta, and the Prince of Orange who stayed in the town for three days in 1734.

The last monarch to visit was Queen Elizabeth II, in 1953, when she visited the town after it was flooded.

The sale to river transport firm Uber Boat by Thames Clippers was completed in November and the new owners are aiming to introduce a high-speed commuter river link from Gravesend to London.

Co-founder and chief executive Sean Collins said: "We are thrilled to take ownership of this historic pier from Gravesham council.

"We will continue to appreciate its significance to the local community and will be investing in that community.

"We currently serve 24 other piers in the capital, five of which we own, manage and maintain ourselves.

"It is vitally important to us to maintain their heritage and make the piers sustainable for the future, ensuring the local communities can benefit from the river transport links that they provide."

A number of questions were raised about the future of the pier and at a public meeting Mr Collins confirmed access for river services and visiting vessels will be maintained.

He said the company has been talking with KCC – which subsidises the ferry crossing service along with Tilbury council and awards the contract – and intends to continue to support the operators.

It plans to establish the service in the next two to three years.

Read more: The glory days of Kent's piers and what they look like now

The pier is Grade–II listed and is the oldest remaining cast iron pier of its kind in the world.