Paull Lighthouse

Paull Lighthouse stands quietly on the lowland of the River Humber’s north bank. It has stood watch over one of Britain’s most treacherous waterways since 1836. Just southeast of Kingston upon Hull, the lighthouse once played a vital role in guiding ships through the Humber.

The Humber has long been one of Britain’s most important trade routes. Narrow channels and ever-changing sandbanks made navigation especially hazardous. To help ships safely navigate from Hull into the North Sea, a network of lights was developed across the estuary. Paull formed a key part of this, alongside lights at Spurn, Easington, and South Killingholme.

References to a beacon at Paull date back to 1567, but it wasn’t until 1836 that land was acquired to build a permanent lighthouse. At the same time, a pair of lights was constructed across the river at Killingholme.

Paull Lighthouse was designed by Francis Dales for the Trinity House of Hull. Dales was also responsible for the Killingholme lights. During its construction, a temporary light was displayed from a window of the Humber Tavern. The tavern’s owner was paid £2 a month to ensure ships still had a guiding glow.

When completed, the lighthouse stood 30 feet high and included accommodation for two keepers and their families. Though plans initially included a second, rear tower to form leading lights, it was never built. Humber authorities soon opted for different navigational methods.

Paull Lighthouse initially exhibited a white light using oil lamps and reflectors. Later, it was upgraded to a gas burner. Windows in the lantern room faced Hull, casting a fixed light to guide ships out along the estuary’s deep-water channel. Departing vessels would align with Paull before adjusting course toward the lights on the southern bank.

As shipping increased, so did the need for more adaptable navigation aids. In 1851, new concerns about the river’s shifting channels led to the construction of Killingholme North Lighthouse. This worked in transit with Paull. A red sector was also added to Paull Lighthouse to help ships approaching from the south and to warn of the Skitter sandbank.

Paull Lighthouse was ultimately rendered obsolete by the ever-shifting estuary it once served. In 1869, Trinity House experimented with new lighthouse towers at Thorngumbald Clough. These towers could be moved as the Humber’s channels shifted, and they proved successful.

By 1870, Paull Lighthouse was discontinued, replaced by the Thorngumbald lights. A second pair of lattice towers were built to the north of Paull at Salt End. Similar in design to the Thorngumbald Clough lighthouses, these were discontinued in the mid 1900s. Their towers and the keepers’ cottage were demolished as part of the redevelopment work at Hedon Docks in the 1960s.

Following decommissioning, the lighthouse and its cottages passed into private hands in 1947. The Humber Conservancy Board had offered the light to the War Department for £450, but they had declined the offer.

In the 1980s, a graphic designer bought and lovingly restored the structure. He added accommodation and briefly operated it as a bed and breakfast. Unfortunately, it no longer welcomes overnight guests.

In 1987, the lighthouse and keeper’s cottages were granted Grade II listed status.

Though the tower itself remains closed to the public, the lighthouse is easily visible from Town End Road.

For those wishing to explore a little further, a scenic circular walk from Paull Holme Strays passes several historic points. These include the Thorngumbald Clough lights, Fort Paull, and Paull Lighthouse itself.