High and Low Lights of North Shields

Site of the Black Friars' church: its stones were used to build the first pair of navigation lights at North Shields.

In 1536, a charter of Henry VIII gave permission to the Guild of the Blessed Trinity (which is known today as Trinity House of Newcastle) to build and embattle a pair of towers on the north bank of the River Tyne to serve as leading lights for safe navigation at the mouth of the river.[5] The granting of the charter coincided with Henry's policy of dissolving England's monasteries and in 1539 he gave the monastic church of the town's Blackfriars monastery to the Guild, which used its stonework to build the two towers.[6]

Work began on the towers the following year: they were built on high and low ground either side of Pow burn, which flows into the Tyne at 'the Narrows' (the narrowest point of the river mouth). A keeper was paid 20 shillings a year to keep a tallow candle alight in each tower every night for a certain number of hours either side of high tide.[6] To fund the provision and maintenance of these lights the Guild was empowered to levy dues on every ship entering the port (initially 2d per English vessel and 4d per foreign vessel).

In 1608 a further ordinance was issued by James I requiring Newcastle's Trinity House to maintain a pair of lighthouses at North Shields. The towers were increased in height at around this time; they are depicted on Ralph Gardner's map of 1655, still with their battlements (they were built with a defensive as well as a navigational purpose in mind).[6]

The changing position of sandbanks in the mouth of the river meant that the lights had likewise to change position from time to time. To try to address this, the lighthouses were replaced in 1658 by moveable wooden structures; these proved unreliable, however, and in the 1680s Newcastle's Trinity House was seeking funds to repair the stone towers.[7]

In 1672 the Low Light found itself enclosed by Clifford's Fort, constructed that year to help defend the Tyne from coastal attack. A postern in the fort wall provided access to the lighthouse; however, in the years that followed a number of disputes arose between Trinity House and the Governor of the Fort. These came to a head in 1726 when a new Governor's House was built on the site, which obscured the light. It seems likely that this is what prompted the rebuilding of both lights in 1727.[8]

The Old Low Light viewed from the south

Initially, the 1727 High and Low Lights were each lit by three tallow candles.[9] Copper reflectors were added in 1736, and in 1773 the candles were replaced by oil lamps.[10] The Low Light was repaired and remodelled in 1733 and again in 1775 when the second floor was added.[7] By 1805 the lights were no longer aligned with river channel and Newcastle Trinity House began building a new pair of lights in 1807.

Looking out to sea past the Low Light (left) and High Light (right).

Work on the new lights was begun in 1807; both were designed for Trinity House, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, by local architect John Stokoe (1756–1836). Both towers are of white-painted ashlar, the High Light of four storeys, the Low Light of six, with curved windows; in each case the east face of the tower, facing the sea, is left plain and windowless (except on the lantern stage at the top where the lights shone out to sea). Above the lantern stage is a curved roof topped by a chimney.[11] The lights were first lit on 1 May 1810.[16] Each has a house attached for its keepers: that on the Low Light is dated 1816, while that on the High Light has a plaque with the Trinity House arms recording its rebuilding in 1860.[11] By 1861 both lighthouses were lit by gas, each being equipped with a single burner set within a silvered reflector.[17] In 1883 responsibility for the two lights was transferred from Newcastle Trinity House to the Tyne Improvement Commission.[18] In December 1927, the Commission converted the two lights from incandescent gas to electricity.[19] The new 100,000 candle-power lights had a range of 17 nautical miles (31 km; 20 mi); they were fitted with automatic lamp changers and an incandescent gas lamp was also retained as an emergency standby in the event of a power cut.[16]

• List of lighthouses in England

• History of the Old Low Light, The Net, 19 March 2012, archived from the original on 15 July 2014, retrieved 23 June 2014
• Northern Counties Archaeological Services (May 2010), The Old Low Light, No. 54 Clifford's Fort, North Shields, Tyne and Wear; (NZ 363081 684810) Conservation Statement (PDF), North Tyneside Council
• Appleby Miller, R.N. (October 1930), "History of the High and Low Lights", Smith's Dock Journal: 249–255
• Lawrence, Danny (2011), The Making of Stan Laurel: Echoes of a British Boyhood, McFarland, ISBN 978-0786485154

Wikimedia Commons has media related to High and Low Lights.

• Old Low Light website