Bamburgh Lighthouse

At the edge of Black Rock Point, Bamburgh Lighthouse has quietly guided ships past one of the most treacherous stretches of the Northumberland coast for over a century.

Nearby Bamburgh Castle dominates the skyline along this stretch of coastline, but by 1777, the castle had fallen into disrepair. Dr John Sharp, owner of a charity school within the castle, was concerned about the safety of mariners. So he formed a rudimentary lifeboat and coastwatch service. During poor visibility, a bell was rung, and a cannon was fired as a fog warning.

Bamburgh Lighthouse was designed by Sir Thomas Matthews, Engineer-in- Chief to Trinity House. Built in 1910, the 36ft high lattice tower had an enclosed upper section and lantern. Subsequently, the Low Light at Inner Farne was discontinued and demolished.

The lighthouse at Bamburgh was designed as an unwatched beacon. A local attendant was employed to carry out regular maintenance and checks. It was powered using an early gas system known as Moyre Carbide. Its Carbide store was located alongside the tower and was surrounded by a walled enclosure. At the time, the gas system was considered cutting-edge, allowing the lighthouse to operate without a full-time keeper.

A third-order fixed optic displayed a double occulting light every 15 seconds. Initially, white and red sectors supplemented the main light, and later, a green sector was added.

Following the success of this light, an almost identical lattice tower style light was established at Peninnis on the Isles of Scilly.

Bottled Acetylene gas later replaced the Carbide system, which continued until 1964, when Bamburgh Lighthouse was converted to electric operation. A diesel generator provided the power source.

In 1975, the lattice tower was removed, and the navigation light was moved to the top of the former Carbide store. The light’s elevation was slightly reduced, but its range was maintained.

During the 1980s, mains electricity was supplied to the lighthouse, with the diesel generator providing a standby source.

Bamburgh Lighthouse is only one part of Bamburgh’s long maritime story. Just a short distance away, Bamburgh Castle has watched over the coastline for centuries. Additionally, the nearby Grace Darling Museum celebrates the legacy of heroine Grace Darling. Grace was the daughter of the Longstone Lighthouse Keeper and was made famous by her courageous rescue of shipwreck survivors in 1838. She was also born in Bamburgh, and her memorial is located at St Aidan’s Church, just across the road from the museum.

Though not open to the public, Bamburgh Lighthouse is easily accessible and best appreciated from the beach, with the Farne Islands on the horizon. The offshore Farne Islands are also worth a visit, and can be visited by boat from nearby Seahouses.