Tynemouth Lighthouses

Three lighthouses mark the entrance to Tynemouth and the River Tyne. At South Shields, the River Tyne South Pier Lighthouse and Herd Groyne Lighthouse mark the southern entrance. The River Tyne North Pier Lighthouse marks the northern side.

The River Tyne has been a major coal export route since the 13th century. A royal act in 1530 restricting coal exports from Tyneside enabled Newcastle’s growth. The area continued to export coal until the second half of the 20th century with the demise of coal mining.

Tyneside was also a major shipbuilding centre during the end of the 19th century and into the early 20th century. As the River Tyne increased in traffic, so too did the need to improve navigation, especially at the entrance from the North Sea.

In 1852, the Tyne Improvement Commission were granted permission to build piers on both sides of the river mouth. Lighthouse engineer James Walker was the engineer for the North and South Piers, and work began in 1854 on the North Pier. Construction of the South Pier began two years later.

The piers were finally completed in 1895 due to the difficulties in working in extreme conditions.

River Tyne South Pier Lighthouse

The South Pier, which runs from South Shields, has a 39ft high lighthouse at the end, with a red lantern on its top. It has sector lights, with the green sector marking the offshore Bellhues Rock, a mile to the north.

The North and South Shields lighthouses were constructed at South Shields pier block yard and erected on the pier heads in 1895.

The southern side of the river was previously marked by a pair of beacons at The Lawe, overlooking the river mouth. In 1832, a pair of stone obelisks replaced the East and West Lawe beacons. These unlit towers, when lined up, indicated a safe passage.

Both piers were severely damaged in October 2023 during Storm Babet. The South Pier light lost its lantern during the storm. Work to repair the storm damage the following year was further delayed by vandals breaking into the sites.

The Lawe Top beacons were built in 1832 by John Turnbull and were reduced in height in the early 1900s.

The Lawe is a promontory in South Shields overlooking the River Tyne, which was the location for military activity for over 300 years.  A fort and watchtower were built here.

Both beacons are close to each other, connected by a meridian line and dissected by a pair of cannons. 

A fort was built on the Lawe in 1643, with a garrison.  In 1830, Trinity House built a castellated watchtower on the hilltop.  Pilots guiding ships into the port lived nearby, using the Pilot’s Stairs to reach their cutters.  The watchtower was demolished around 1970 and has been replaced by a stone memorial on the site.

In 2020 a new steel beacon, designed by Andrew McKeown was built on the hill.  The beacon is lit at night and has green glass on its top.

Herd Groyne Lighthouse

Following the construction of the South Pier, the river mouth started to silt up. So the Groyne Pier was built between 1861 and 1867, designed to help regulate the flow of the river and protect Littlehaven Beach. The name comes from Herd Sands, which was the original name for the stretch of sands now known as Littlehaven.

Newcastle Trinity House built the distinctive Herd Groyne Lighthouse, and it was first lit on 30th October 1882. The 49-foot-high pile lighthouse features an octagonal, corrugated-iron lantern and is painted red.

In 1962, a layer of concrete was added around the column to protect it.  Following the decommissioning of the lighthouses in North Shields, a directional light was installed at Herd Groyne Lighthouse in the late 1990s, showing white, red, or green depending on the direction..

In November 2024, Herd Groyne Lighthouse was restored, taking around six months to complete. The work cost £250,000, with a £100,000 donation from the Barbour Foundation, which uses the lighthouse as its logo on some of its clothing.

River Tyne North Pier Lighthouse

A lighthouse was added to the North Pier in 1864 and the South Pier in 1895. However, in 1867, a storm surge severely damaged the pier whilst it was still being built. It was damaged again in 1897, leaving the lighthouse cut off. It was to take twelve years before the damage was repaired.

The current North Pier Lighthouse was built in 1903 by Trinity House. It finally came into operation on 15th January 1908 following completion of the breakwater. The pier extends to 899 metres, extending from Tynemouth Priory.

The lighthouse is 75ft high, and the lantern is thought to have come from the previous lighthouse.

Tynemouth Lighthouse is the tallest of the three lighthouses protecting the mouth of the River Tyne.

All three Tynemouth lighthouses are operational and managed by the Port of Tyne authority. The piers can be accessed during good weather, but may be closed during storms.