Lighthouses of Northwest England

Merseyside (Liverpool Area) Lighthouses

Wirral Borough Lighthouses

* [West Kirby (Grange Hill) Beacon] 1841. A historic daybeacon, never lit as a lighthouse. 18 m (59 ft) unpainted red sandstone column topped a sandstone sphere. A closeup photo and a more distant view are available, and Google has a satellite view. This tower was built by the Trustees of Liverpool Docks to replace a windmill that collapsed in 1839; mariners had used the windmill as a daymark for many years. Located on the northern nose of Grange Hill in West Kirby, about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) south of Hoylake. Accessible by a walking path. Site open, tower closed. * Hoylake (High) (2) 1865 (station established 1764). Inactive since 1886. 17 m (55 ft) octagonal brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 2-story keeper's house. The tower is unpainted red brick, the gallery is painted black, and the lantern white. Bill Newman has good photos, P. Askew has a 2007 photo, Beverley Cartlidge has a 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. This elegant lighthouse, a private residence for more than a century, has been maintained in excellent condition by its owners. Located just off Market Street (A553) at Velentia and Lighthouse Roads in Hoylake, on the east side of the entrance to the River Dee. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be seen easily from the street. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS ENG-055. ** Leasowe 1763. Inactive since 1908. 33.5 m (110 ft) brick tower, painted white; lantern removed. The oldest lighthouse in the Liverpool area and the oldest brick lighthouse in Britain. Adair Broughton's photo is at right, Sue Adair has a lovely 2009 photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Ownership of this historic light station was assumed by the Wirral Borough Council in 1988, and restoration has continued since by the Friends of Leasowe Lighthouse. There is a visitor center in the base of the tower, and funds are being raised to restore the upper rooms to their original appearance. The visitor center was renovated in 2006. Located on Lingham Lane in Leasowe Common in Moreton, about 8 km (5 mi) west of Perch Rock Light; the station is included in the North Wirral Coastal Park. Site open; visitor center open daily; tower open to guided tours on the first and third Sundays April through September and the first Sunday of each month during the winter. Owner: Wirral Borough Council. Site manager: Friends of Leasowe Lighthouse. ARLHS ENG-063.

Leasowe Light, April 2006 Creative Commons photo by Adair Broughton

Bidston Hill (2) 1873 (station established 1771). Inactive since 1913 (a decorative light is often displayed). 21 m (69 ft) cylindrical sandstone tower with lantern and gallery attached to 1-story stone keeper's house. Peter Craine's photo is at the top of this page, a closeup photo is available, Newman has a portfolio of photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Bidston Hill is more than a mile from the sea, but as the highest hill in the Liverpool area it was the natural site for a landfall light for the Mersey. This famous station played an important role in British scientific history. An astronomical observatory was established here in 1864, and the two telescope domes survive although the instruments have been removed. Meteorological observations began in 1869. In 1924 the Liverpool Tidal Observatory, now the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory, was moved to the site. Sometime in 2004-05 the laboratory moved to a new site in Liverpool. In 2006 the lighthouse was put up for sale, and in 2011 it was sold to private buyers for £160,000. Located atop the hill in Bidston, just west of Birkenhead. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: National Environment Research Council. ARLHS ENG-009. * Perch Rock (New Brighton) 1830. Inactive since 1973 (decorative lights have been displayed since 2000). 28.5 m (94 ft) tapered granite tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. The tower is illuminated by spotlights at night. The design of the lighthouse imitates the well-known Eddystone Light in the English Channel. The lower portion of the tower is solid granite; access requires a ladder to reach the doorway 7.5 m (25 ft) above the base. Lesley Mitchell's photo appears at right, Stephen Entwistle has a 2007 photo, Newman has a portfolio of photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The name Perch Rock comes from a perch, a tripod platform carrying a fire, built on the rock in 1683 and frequently repaired or replaced over the years. In the 1820s, the City of Liverpool tired of replacing the perch and decided to build the present lighthouse. After deactivation the lighthouse was sold to Norman Kingham, who offered it for a time as a honeymoon accommodation. Lighthouse Digest has Jeremy D'Entremont's August 2001 feature story reporting on a restoration being carried out in that year as a Millennium project. As part of this project, the light was reactivated, displaying a variety of Morse code messages. Located just offshore from the New Brighton Fort, also a privately owned attraction, at the west side of the entrance to the Mersey estuary at New Brighton. It is possible, with caution, to walk to the lighthouse at low tide. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS ENG-084; Admiralty A4946

Perch Rock Light, February 2011 Creative Commons photo by Lesley Mitchell

* Birkenhead (Woodside Ferry) 1840s (rebuilt 1984). Inactive. Approx. 7 m (23 ft) tapered tower with cylindrical domed lantern. Tower painted white, lantern red. When the old lighthouse was restored in 1984, the original lantern was placed atop a new concrete tower. In the original configuration, the lantern was mounted atop a square bell enclosure; the bell is still in use. A closeup is available, Brian Touhey has photos of the original and renovated lighthouse, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the Mersey Ferry terminal in Birkenhead, on the south side of the Mersey. Site open, tower closed. Operator: unknown. ARLHS ENG-246. City of Liverpool Lightship * Trinity House Lightship 23 Bar 1959. Decommissioned 1989. 40.5 m (133 ft) two-masted steel lightship with light tower amidships, painted red. A photo is at right, Eirian Evans has a 2009 photo, an August 2011 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Built by Philips & Sons Ltd. of Dartmouth. The ship served as the Bar off the entrance to the Mersey from 1960 to 1972; after serving several other locations she was assigned as the Channel from 1979 to 1989. She was the last manned lightship in U.K. waters. Saved from the scrapyard in 1992, the ship has been displayed in Liverpool. The ship is now in need of further restoration. The Mersey Light-Vessel Preservation Society tried to raise funds to buy and restore her, but in 2005 the ship was sold to a new owner, Gary McClarnan. The preservation society has closed its operations. McClarnan had the ship painted and berthed it in Liverpool at the Canning Half Tide Dock near the Merseyside Maritime Museum. In 2008, McClarnan placed the ship for sale for £139,000, and it was sold to two couples. The ship has been repainted and appears to be in good condition. Site open; vessel closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS ENG-065.

Lightship 23 Bar, October 2010 Creative Commons photo by Steve in Leighton

Lighthouses of Cheshire

* Upper Mersey (Ellesmere Port) 1829. Inactive since 1891. Approx. 14 m (46 ft) octagonal brick tower with lantern, attached to a 1-story brick pump house. The tower is unpainted red brick; the lantern (clearly modern) is black. A 2007 photo is available, Wikimedia has good photo, and Google has a satellite view. This light was built at the junction of the Manchester Ship Canal and the Ellesmere Canal, now part of the Shropshire Union Canal. The lighthouse has been restored by the British Waterways Trust as part of a large canal museum complex. Located on the south bank of the Manchester Ship Canal at the foot of Lower Mersey Street in Ellesmere Port. Site open; museum open daily April through October and Saturday through Wednesday otherwise; tower closed. Owner/site manager: National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port. ARLHS ENG-278. * Hale Head (2) 1906 (station established 1838). Inactive since 1958. 17.5 m (58 ft) brick tower attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white. The house is a private residence. Ian Wright's photo is at right, Mike Pennington has another good photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is clearly endangered by erosion of the river bank; Marinas.com aerial photos show the seawalls that have been built to protect it. Located on a promontory on the north bank of the Mersey about 4 km (2.5 mi) east of Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Accessible by an easy walk of about 1200 m (3/4 mile) from Hale Church. Site and tower closed, but walkers can pass very close to the buildings. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS ENG-187.

Hale Head Light, October 2007 photo copyright Ian Wright; used by permission

Lighthouses of Lancashire

Fylde Borough Lighthouse

* Lytham-St.-Anne's (4?) (The White Church)

1998 (the tower was completed in 1912) (station established 1848). Active (privately maintained); focal plane 29 m (95 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. Approx. 25 m (82 ft) octagonal stone church tower. The church is built of unpainted white stone and is commonly known as the White Church. Trabas has an excellent photo, and Google has a satellite view. A 22 m (72 ft) stone lighthouse was built on Stanner Point, Lytham, in 1848. Erosion quickly took it to sea, and it collapsed about 1863. A 25 m (82 ft) stone tower replaced in 1865, but that lighthouse also went to sea and collapsed. Lighthouse Explorer has a drawing of the second lighthouse. Subsequently an offshore pile lighthouse known as Peet's Light marked the point; Peter Bond has a photo of the foundation ruins of that light. Installed and maintained by the Ribble Cruising Club, the current light marks the north side of the entrance to the River Ribble. With an offshore beacon it forms a range that is useful to returning sailors. Located on Clifton Drive South at Kings Road in Lytham-St.-Anne's. Site open, tower status unknown. Owner/site manager: Fairhaven United Reformed Church. ARLHS ENG-147; Admiralty A4929.3.

Blackpool Lighthouse

* Blackpool Range Rear

Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane approx. 13 m (43 ft); two continuous yellow lights, one above the other. 10 m (33 ft) cylindrical ventilation tower, mounted atop a 1-story stone building; the lights are mounted on the side of the tower. Tower painted gray with two white horizontal bands. A closeup photo is available, and the photographer says the light is now disused. Trabas has a closeup photo of the tower enclosed in scaffolding, and Google has a satellite view. Located on The Promenade in Blackpool, near Lytham and Rigby Roads. Site open, tower closed. Operator: unknown. ARLHS ENG-282; Admiralty A4921.1.

Wyre Borough Lighthouses

Wyre 1840 (Alexander Mitchell). Inactive since 1979. Ruins of a cottage screwpile lighthouse; only the seven screwpile legs and part of the platform survive. The house was removed in 1948. A light was maintained atop the platform until 1979. Antony McCann has a photo, and Arnold Price has a second photo. Pete Skinner has posted a drawing showing the original appearance of the lighthouse, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a distant satellite view. Michel Forand contributed to Lighthouse Explorer a second postcard view and a plan of the lighthouse. This was the world's first successful screwpile lighthouse, so the site has great significance in lighthouse history. Located on the North Wharf Sandbank at the entrance to the narrow channel to Fleetwood, about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) north of the town. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: unknown. ARLHS ENG-171; Admiralty A4888. * Fleetwood Low (Range Front) 1840 (Decimus Burton). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 2 s, visible only on the range line. 13 m (43 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with domed roof and gallery, centered on a colonnaded stone 1-story square building. The light is displayed through a narrow vertical window. Lighthouse unpainted, gallery rail painted white. A photo is at right, Trabas also has a good photo, another photo is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The building has a neoclassical design unusual for a lighthouse. Located on the Esplanade at Albert Street in Fleetwood, on the west side of the mouth of the River Wyre in Fleetwood. Site open, tower closed except during Heritage Open Days in September. Operator: Port of Fleetwood. ARLHS ENG-195; Admiralty A4892; NGA 5152. * Fleetwood High (Range Rear) 1840 (Decimus Burton). Active; focal plane 28 m (93 ft); green flash every 4 s, visible only on the range line. 27 m (89 ft) stone tower with domed roof and gallery. Light displayed through a narrow vertical window. Lighthouse unpainted, gallery rail painted white. Trabas has a photo, Sam Beckwith has also posted a good photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. These two fine lighthouses are among the town's best known architectural monuments. Located in Pharos Place, at the intersection of Pharos and Lower Lune Streets in Fleetwood, 320 m (1050 ft) south of the front light. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Port of Fleetwood. ARLHS ENG-043; Admiralty A4892.1; NGA 5156.

Fleetwood Lower Light, October 2005 anonymous Creative Commons photo

City of Lancaster Lighthouses

Plover Scar Range Front

1847. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white flash every 2 s. 8 m (27 ft) tapered stone tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white, lantern black. A keeper's house survives onshore near the ruins of Cockersand Abbey. Trabas has a photo, Chris Kirk has a 2008 closeup, another good photo is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The rear range lighthouse was replaced in 1963 by a 15 m (49 ft) skeletal tower. Located about 400 m (1/4 mile) off shore at the southern entrance to the River Lune about 3 km (2 mi) southwest of Glasson. Accessible only by boat, but easily seen from shore. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Lancaster Port Commission. ARLHS ENG-315; Admiralty A4876; NGA 5144.

* Glasson Dock

Date unknown. Inactive. 6 m (20 ft) hexagonal tower with lantern rising from a 1-story brick building. Entire lighthouse painted white. A 2007 photo is available, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This was always a privately maintained light. It was apparently replaced by a light on the red skeletal tower shown in Trabas's photo, but that tower also appears inactive. Located at the end of the east pier at Glasson. Site open, tower closed. ex-Admiralty A4879.2.

[Heysham South Breakwater] 1929. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); two continuous green lights, one above the other. 6 m (20 ft) post, painted white. Behind the light is the original 4 m (13 ft) cylindrical fog signal building with gallery, painted white; this tower resembles a small lighthouse. Fog siren (blast every 30 s). Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater; good views from ferries departing Heysham for Ireland and the Isle of Man. Site status unknown; parts of the breakwater may not be walkable. Operator: Lancaster Port Commission. ARLHS ENG-191; Admiralty A4860; NGA 5124. * Heysham South Pier 1904. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); green light, 6 s on, 1.5 s off. 6 m (20 ft) cylindrical cast iron tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted red, lantern and gallery white. Trabas has a good photo, another fine photo is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the south pier; good views from ferries departing Heysham for Ireland and the Isle of Man. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Lancaster Port Commission. ARLHS ENG-192; Admiralty A4863; NGA 5132. * Near Naze (1) 1904. Inactive since at least 1916. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) round stone tower with gallery, unpainted. A fine closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. When Heysham Harbour was built in 1904, this lighthouse was apparently built to warn small craft to avoid the adjacent rocky shoal called Near Naze. However, it must have been replaced within a few years by the next lighthouse listed. Located just off Shore Road near the Portway in Heysham. Site open, tower closed. * [Near Naze (2) (Range Rear)] Date unknown (by 1916). Inactive for many years. Round stone base of a former lighthouse. Originally, this was a 21 m (69 ft) cast iron skeletal tower that served as a rear light for a range whose front light was the Heysham South Pier Light (next entry). Light list data indicates the light was in place at least by 1916. The skeletal tower has been removed; what remains is the round stone base of the lighthouse. A photo is available, Peter Petralia has another photo showing what's left of both Near Naze lighthouses, and Google has a satellite view. Located just off Shore Road near the Portway in Heysham. Site open. * Morecambe (Stone Pier) 1855. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); continuous white light. 8 m (26 ft) octagonal stone tower with lantern and gallery. Tower unpainted, lantern and gallery painted white. 1-story stone railway depot adjacent to the tower. Linda Hartley's photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse formerly guided railroad ferries sailing between Morecambe and Ireland. Located at the end of the Stone Pier in Morecambe, a port on Morecambe Bay about 5 km (3 mi) northwest of Lancaster. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Lancaster Port Commission. ARLHS ENG-190; Admiralty A4850.

Morecambe Light, January 2006 Creative Commons photo by Linda Hartley

Lighthouses of Cumbria

Barrow-in-Furness Borough Lighthouses

* Rampside (Walney Channel Middle Range Rear)

Between 1850 and 1870. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white light, 1 s on, 1 s off. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) slender square cylindrical brick tower with a pyramidal top; light shown through a window. The unpainted tower is built with red and light yellow bricks, giving at a distance the appearance of vertical red and white stripes (one white stripe on each of the four faces). Trabas has a photo, Ned Trifle has a good 2005 photo, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Huelse has a historic postcard view, although it's not clear if it shows this tower or a sister tower now lost. This unusual tower, known locally as The Needle, is the only survivor of 13 range lights built on the approaches to Rampside and Barrow in the 1850-1870 period. Slated for demolition, it was saved after Rampside residents worked to have it listed as a historic structure. Located on the shoreline at Rampside, just off the A5087 about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Barrow-in-Furness. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Port of Barrow. ARLHS ENG-201; Admiralty A4824.1; NGA 5076.

* Walney (2) 1804 (E. Dawson) (station established 1790). Active; focal plane 21 m (70 ft); one long (1.5 s) white flash every 15 s. 24 m (80 ft) octagonal stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. 2-story duplex keeper's house, now a private residence, and other buildings. Chris Hills's photo is at right, Trabas has a great closeup photo, Anne Lister has a 2008 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Walney Island is a barrier island about 15 km (10 mi) long off the west end of the Furness peninsula. The island is accessible by bridge from Barrow-in-Furness on the A590 highway. The lighthouse was built at the southern tip of the island in 1790, but since then the island has extended itself several miles first south and then east in a long, sandy hook; this extension is now the South Walney Nature Reserve. Overnight accommodations are available near the lighthouse in the former Coast Guard station. Located near the end of the paved road at South End. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be viewed from nearby, either from the road or the beach. Operator: Lancaster Port Commission. ARLHS ENG-161; Admiralty A4820; NGA 5052. * Hodbarrow Point (Haverigg, Millom) (1) 1866. Inactive since 1905. Cylindrical stone tower with castellated top and gallery; the light was shown through a window. Millichamp has a photo (middle photo in the fourth row), Bill Wakefield has a closeup of the top of the tower, and Google has a satellite view. Built and operated privately by the Hodbarrow Mining Company to guide ships serving its iron mines in the Haverigg area. The long-abandoned tower is open to the elements and will soon be crumbling into ruins. Located on Hodbarrow Point east of the mining company seawall. Accessible by hiking trail. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Haverigg Lighthouse Club. ARLHS ENG-193.

Walney Light, September 2009 Creative Commons photo by Chris Hills

* Hodbarrow Point (Haverigg) (2)

1905. Reactivated (inactive 1949-2003; now privately maintained); focal plane about 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 4 s. 9 m (30 ft) cylindrical cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim. Trabas has a closeup photo, Stuart Ruffell has a more distant view, Bill Wakefield has an August 2006 closeup, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Prefabricated by Cochrane and Co., this lighthouse was built and operated privately by the Hodbarrow Mining Company to guide ships serving its iron mines in the Haverigg area. The lighthouse was placed on an artificial berm built to expand the mining area. The abandoned mines behind the berm have been flooded and are now a bird sanctuary. Efforts to save the abandoned lighthouse began in 1996, and the lighthouse was restored in 2003 by the Haverigg Lighthouse Committee with a grant of £20,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Located on the Duddon Estuary about 800 m (1/2 mi) west of Hodbarrow Point and 1200 m (3/4 mi) southeast of Haverigg; accessible by walking the berm in either direction. Site open, tower closed. Owner: unknown. Site manager: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (Hodbarrow Nature Reserve). Admiralty A4805; ARLHS ENG-054.

Copeland Borough Lighthouses

* St. Bee's Head (2) 1822 (Joseph Nelson) (station established 1718). Active; focal plane 102 m (336 ft); two white flashes, separated by 3 s, every 15 s. 17 m (55 ft) cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. 1-story keeper's house. A nice closeup photo is available, also a good view of the station; both were posted by hikers on a cross-England trail that begins near the lighthouse. Trabas also has an excellent photo, Nigel Chadwick has a 2009 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a fine satellite view. The original lighthouse, built by Thomas Lutwige, was replaced after being gutted by fire. The present light was altered, presumably by installation of the current lantern, in 1866. Located on a prominent cape about 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Whitehaven, the light station marks the southern entrance to Solway Firth. Accessible by private road; most visitors arrive by the hiking trail that passes nearby. Site and tower closed, but good views are available from nearby. Operator: Trinity House. Site manager: private. ARLHS ENG-142; Admiralty A4710; NGA 4892. * Whitehaven Old New Quay (Old Outer Quay) 1742 (?). Inactive. Approx. 14 m (46 ft) stone tower, unpainted, with a large window near the top. Photos are available (lower half of the page), Humphrey Bolton has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This structure, often called the "Old Lighthouse," was used primarily as a watchtower. The tower was undoubtedly a daybeacon, and Findlay's 1879 list mentions a red light displayed "on Old Quay." Located on the 17th century Old New Quay, which now encloses the Inner Harbour of Whitehaven. Accessible by walking the quay. Site open, tower status unknown. * Whitehaven West Pier (2) Date unknown (station established 1823). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); green flash every 5 s. 14.5 m (47 ft) brick tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with red trim; lantern dome is gray metallic. Danny Seward's photo is at right, Ian Wright has contributed a photo, Trabas has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The west pier was built in 1821. According to Findlay's 1879 list, the original light was 11 m (37 ft) tall. Located at the end of the west breakwater at Whitehaven; accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Whitehaven Marina. ARLHS ENG-245; Admiralty A4698; NGA 4880. * Whitehaven North Pier 1841. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); two continuous red lights, one above the other. 7 m (23 ft) stucco-covered brick tower with castellated top and a gallery midway up the side; the lights are mounted on a mast atop the tower. Lighthouse painted white with red trim. Trabas has a photo, Dave Bevis has a 2010 photo showing both Whitehaven lighthouses, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was built at the same time as the pier. Located at the end of the northeast breakwater at Whitehaven; accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Whitehaven Marina. ARLHS ENG-166; Admiralty A4700; NGA 4884.

Whitehaven West Pier Light, November 2005 Geograph Creative Commons photo by Danny Seward

Allerdale Borough (Solway Firth) Lighthouses

* Workington

Date unknown (station established 1825). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white flash every 5 s. 6 m (20 ft) square Coast Guard station with two galleries; the light is shown from a short post. Building painted white. Trabas has a photo, Alexander Kapp has a 2007 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Huelse has a postcard view of an older beacon on the pier. Located at the end of the south breakwater at Workington. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ENG-248; Admiralty A4688; NGA 4864.

* Maryport (2) 1856 (?) (station established 1796). Inactive. 11 m (35 ft) octagonal cylindrical cast iron tower with lantern, mounted on a 1-story octagonal stone base. Base unpainted, tower painted white, lantern black. In this unusual design, a slender column supports the lantern and stands on a broad base. Ian Wright has contributed a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos., and Google has a satellite view. Findlay has 1856 as the date for this tower, but Millichamp has 1846. The lighthouse was replaced by a short concrete tower and then (1996) by an aluminum tower. Trinity House transferred responsibility for the light to the harbor authority on 30 November 2011. Located at the elbow of the west breakwater in Maryport; accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Maryport Harbour Authority. ARLHS ENG-080. * [Maryport (4)] 1996 (station established 1796). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white flash every 1.5 s. 6 m (20 ft) square pyramidal white aluminum tower; no lantern. Ian Wright has contributed a photo, Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This light had been maintained by Trinity House, but in May 2010 it was announced that the light would be transferred to local management. Located at the end of the west breakwater at Maryport. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty A4676; NGA 4860. Lees Scar ("Tommy Legs") 1841. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); green flash every 10 s. 4 m (14 ft) lantern mounted atop a square pyramidal skeletal tower. Lighthouse painted white. Trabas has a good photo, Phil Williams has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lower half of the skeletal tower formerly supported the platform of a cottage lighthouse. We need more information on the history of this historic light. Located about 800 m (1/2 mi) south of Silloth. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ENG-064; Admiralty A4670; NGA 4844. * East Cote (Eastcote, Skinburness) (3?) 1913 (station established 1841?). Active; focal plane 15 m (50 ft); continuous green light. 12 m (39 ft) square pyramidal corrugated iron skeletal tower with octagonal lantern and gallery. Steve Fareham's photo is at right, a 2007 photo is available, Trabas has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was formerly the rear light of a range. Millichamp has 1841 as the date of the first lighthouse, but a plaque on the tower says that the present light replace a mobile light installed in 1864. The historic tower was restored by Associated British Ports in 1996. Located on Skinburness Road about 1 km (2/3 mi) north of the harbor of Silloth, on the south side of Solway Firth. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Port of Silloth. ARLHS ENG-318; Admiralty A4671; NGA 4848.

East Cote Light, September 2010 Geograph Creative Commons photo by Steve Fareham

Information available on lost lighthouses:

• Bootle (1877-1927), Mersey estuary. ARLHS ENG-317. Huelse has a postcard view.
• Cockersands High (1847-1954), Port of Lancaster. ARLHS ENG-024.
• Crosby (1847-1898), Mersey estuary. ARLHS ENG-029.
• Formby (1834-1941), Mersey estuary. ARLHS ENG-250. Huelse has a postcard view.
• Hoylake Low (1763-1908), Hoylake. ARLHS ENG-337. Huelse has a postcard view.
• Ince (1838-1897), Mersey estuary. ARLHS ENG-342.
• Lytham (1848-1900), Ribble estuary. ARLHS ENG-147.
• Silloth Docks (?-?), Silloth.
• Silloth Pier (1858-1940s), Silloth. ARLHS ENG-339.
• Weston Point (1810-1960), Mersey estuary, entrance to Manchester Ship Canal. ARLHS ENG-340. Huelse has a postcard view.

Notable faux lighthouses:

• Barrow Monument (1850), Ulverston, was designed so that it could be used as a lighthouse, but it was never lit as an aid to navigation.
• Beacon Museum, Whitehaven, resembles a lighthouse but is not an aid to navigation.
• Hoylake Lighthouse Folly, at the end of Stanley Road in Hoylake, stands at the entrance to the River Dee. Part of a private residence, it is a fine daymark but is not active as a lighthouse.
• Lightship Mast Replica (Albert Dock) looks authentic, but it is a sculpture, "2007, 3, 30 (Light Funnel)," by the Chinese artist Gu Dexin.

Adjoining pages: North: Southwestern Scotland | South: Wales

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Posted November 5, 2005. Checked and revised September 12, 2011. Lighthouses: 28, Lightships: 1. Site copyright 2011 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.