Blyth Lighthouses

There have been a number of lighthouses at Blyth guiding mariners safely into port. Today, there are three lighthouses of note: Blyth High Lighthouse, the East Pier Lighthouse at the river mouth and The Snook Light marking the upper reaches of the channel.

The port of Blyth grew around the River Blyth and dates back to the 13th century. By the early 1700s, it had become a busy port handling coal, salt, and manufactured goods. By 1730, two quays had been built—one for coal and one for ballast—and a lookout for pilots and a lighthouse were constructed in the harbour by Richard Ridley. Although little is known about this first lighthouse, records mention two coal-lit harbour lights being in use at the time.

A breakwater was added in 1765, and by 1788, a coal staith was built. Sir Matthew White Ridley, owner of Cowpen Colliery, was responsible for further development of the port and designed the Blyth High Lighthouse in 1788. The original 35-foot tower stood on the quayside. It was painted white, slightly tapering, and featured a window used for the light instead of a lantern, which was illuminated by oil lamps.

From 1810 onwards, as the Cowpen Quay and Waterloo areas were developed, major building works took place, including new housing. With the completion of the South Harbour, the High Lighthouse became obscured by new buildings. As a result, in 1888, the tower was raised to 54 feet, and again in 1900 to around 60 feet.

The lighthouse remained operational until 1985 and is now a Grade II listed building. The tapering stone tower has a flat roof and a spiral staircase in the original section, with ladders in the later upper additions. As the town expanded and land was reclaimed, the lighthouse ended up further inland and now stands annexed to a house in Bath Terrace.

Blyth High Lighthouse served as a rear leading light in conjunction with a Low Light, the earlier versions of which have since been lost. It was converted to gas operation in 1857 and electrified in 1932. The High and Low Lighthouses remained in service until July 1984, when both were discontinued following the introduction of a new navigational lighting system.

Blyth Snook Lighthouse

The original village of Blyth was named Blyth Snook, named after a promontory of land on the southern side of the river that no longer exists. Formed by a creek called Blyth Gut, it joined the River Blyth, but was later filled in.

Along the northern side of the Blyth estuary stands the Blyth Snook Range Front Light. The little six-sided tower is the Lower front range for a post sited a short distance away, also with a blue light, forming leading lights.

It can be viewed from the opposite bank close to the Spirit of the Staithes sculpture.

Blyth East Pier Lighthouse

Following the Blyth and Harbour Dock Act 1854, harbour improvements were made, and in the 1880s a pier was built.

Located at the end of the East Pier, this lighthouse was established in 1884 to aid ships entering the River Blyth and Blyth Harbour. The current tower, built in 1907, stands at 14 meters tall and is painted white.

The 46-foot-high brick tower, situated on a concrete base, was restored in 2016. Two wind turbines were later installed along the pier, which is now closed to the public.

Of the lighthouses in Blyth, the High Lighthouse is the only accessible one, although there is no access internally.

The marina houses the Royal Northumberland yacht Club, where the former lightvessel LV50 is moored, one of the oldest wooden lightvessels remaining, now used as the club house.

This video shows the Blyth lighthouses.