Today, the area around Barry Island is unrecognisable from what it was in the mid-19th century. Then Barry Island was still an island, connected to the mainland only by a low-tide causeway running south-east from the Ship Hotel (now just 'The Ship') across the Cadoxton River. The area in-between was an informal harbour and anchorage suitable for coastal vessels.
Before the opening of Barry Docks in 1889, the original anchorage and harbour at Barry lay to the east of what is now the Harbour Road car park on Barry Island. A quay, now buried, projected to the north roughly following the western edge of the car park. The construction of the modern docks created a permanent causeway for the railway line and filled-in much of the old harbour.
J.Whitewright, RCAHMW, March 2022