The growing popularity of Penarth beach and the need for better communications with Cardiff led to the Cardiff Steam and Navigation Company starting a regular ferry service between Cardiff and Penarth in 1856, which continued until 1903.
 Boats were loaded and unloaded at Penarth using a landing stage on wheels which was hauled up the beach.

In the 1880s an attempt was made to construct a permanent pier, because of the need to find a safer way to unload larger boats.
However, construction ground to a halt at an early stage when the London-based contractors went into liquidation.
The growing popularity of Penarth beach and the need for better communications with Cardiff led to the Cardiff Steam and Navigation Company starting a regular ferry service between Cardiff and Penarth in 1856, which continued until 1903.  Boats were loaded and unloaded at Penarth using a landing stage on wheels which was hauled up the beach.
In the 1880s an attempt was made to construct a permanent pier, because of the need to find a safer way to unload larger boats. However, construction ground to a halt at an early stage when the London-based contractors went into liquidation.
Penarth Pier