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Harbour, built in 1807-10 to a plan by Thomas Telford, and improved in 1832, 1835 and 1881-7. The harbour was started by William Young, owner of Burghead Estate. In 1895 he sold most of it to the Burghead Harbour Company, who in 1933 sold it to the Town Council. During the 1880s much coal and foreign timber was handled, and a branch rail line was laid along both piers to enable coal to be loaded direct from ship to wagons. A narrow rectangular basin with entrance at the western end, at right angles to the long axis and protected by an irregular breakwater. The harbour is constructed from squared rubble with tooled dressings, and the high stepped sea wall has a pulvinated string course on the seaward side. There is a sloping berth opposite the entrance to absorb the kinetic energy of the waves. There is a pyramidal light tower at the seaward end of the breakwater, and the landward end is bisected by a rectangular quay. The Maid of Moray (NJ16NW0120) sank at the north side of the harbour. There are a series of A and C-listed 19th century warehouses on the shore of the harbour (NJ16NW0041). A number of carved pictish stones are recorded as being found during construction and repair works at the harbour (see NJ16NW0111, NJ16NW0238).
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