Name and Location

St. Mary's Lighthouse, located in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, England, UK, stands as a prominent landmark on St. Mary's Island. The address is St. Mary's Island Causeway, Whitley Bay NE26 4RS.

Construction and History

The lighthouse was commissioned by Trinity House engineers in the late Victorian era and first lit in September 1898. It served as a vital aid to navigation until its decommissioning on October 31, 1984. The site is now cared for by the National Trust.

Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse's architectural style is characterized as Late Victorian functional design. The tower rises from a two-storey square keeper's cottage block, constructed using Portland and local sandstone with lime mortar pointing. The exterior finish features a white-painted tower with contrasting red lantern roof and gallery railings.

Light and Navigation

Initially powered by paraffin vapor and later converted to electric lamps in the 1950s, the lighthouse featured a first-order Fresnel dioptric lens mounted in a rotating frame. Its nominal range was approximately 23 nautical miles, flashing white every 20 seconds.

Accessibility and Visiting

The site is open daily from April to October and on weekends only from November to March. Visitors can access the tower through a stair climb of 84 steps, offering panoramic views of the North Sea, Whitley Bay promenade, Tynemouth headland, and Holy Island (on clear days). A small caf��, gift shop, and interpretive panels are available.

Notable Views and Landscape

From the lantern gallery, visitors can enjoy stunning vistas of the surrounding coastline. The area is also popular for sunrise/sunset photography, seabird nesting in summer, and rock-pooling at low tide.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Local legend has it that a medieval chapel once stood on the island, dedicated to St. Mary. A keeper's diary from 1899 records rescue efforts during gale conditions, while occasional reports of "keeper's footsteps" on the causeway after dark have sparked ghost stories (unverified).

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse's focal height was approximately 41 meters above sea level, with a tower height of 13 meters. The light characteristic was flashing white every 20 seconds until its decommissioning.

Further Information

For further information, visit the National Trust website at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/st-marys-lighthouse or consult Trinity House Annual Reports (1898-1984) and Tyne & Wear Archives: Lighthouse keepers' logbooks.