A major piece of history has been uncovered by the sea. The remains of the old Chain Pier on Brighton Beach are usually invisible beneath the waves.

But exceptionally low tides over the past ten days have laid the ruin bare, giving passers-by a glimpse of what was once a key Brighton attraction.

Historian Geoff Meads, from Sussex University, took photographs of the wooden stumps and old brickwork to record the rare event.

He said: "It's quite atmospheric because it's seen so very occasionally.

Even when it appears it is revealed quite mysteriously and then disappears again.

"You can't see the remains if you are driving along the seafront; they are only really visible on the beach."

The Chain Pier was the first pier in Britain to be used for pleasure and promenading. Before that there had been landing stages so people could board boats and the Chain Pier was originally built for that purpose in the 1820s.

It had four towers of cast iron and was suspended by chains which were fastened to the sea wall. They were also fixed to the sea bed at the other end, after being laid over each tower.

Its deck, made of iron and timber, was hung from vertical rods fixed at intervals along the chains.

The pier caused a sensation when it was opened in 1823 and started a new era of development for Brighton. But, like its successor the West Pier, it was dogged by bad luck and bad weather.

A year after it opened a violent storm swept away the toll house at the end. Ten years later lightning struck it and caused a major fire, ruining the pier.

The people of Brighton loved the pier so much they raised £1,300 to rebuild it.

By the 1890s it was in decline and facing competition from both the Palace Pier and the West Pier.

A great storm in 1896 finally destroyed it, and the structure quietly vanished under the sea and into history. It can now only be seen when the tide drops very low. Mr Meads said: "It's like some rare bird which is there all the time but you can't see it. It seems to have gone but there are things in the landscape that never disappear."

Over the past ten days low tides on Brighton Beach have been under the 1m mark, but from this weekend they will start picking up again.

The pier may still be visible this evening at low tide at 6.51pm, tomorrow morning at 7.03am and tomorrow evening at 7.15pm. It is on the beach directly opposite the entrance to the New Steine.