LAT : 53.578978n

LNG : 0.06.33 E

LOC : JO Ø3 BN

NGR : TA 41153 11282

WAB : TA-41

Lighthouses :

Spurn Head (old) : A2424X

Spurn Head (high) : A2424Y

Spurn Head (low) : A2425X

There have been lighthouses on Spurn since 1427 because of the dangerous currents and sandbanks that lie beneath the Humber's surface. There is little record of what Spurn's earlier lighthouses looked like, but we do know they have been built in pairs since 1674 and at least eight have been swept away in storms. They were built in twos (called high and low lights) to help sailors navigate in the Humber estuary. In 1852 the last, and still standing, low light was built. However when the present lighthouse was built the low light was no longer needed as three additional lamps were placed in the body of the lighthouse instead. It has since been used as an explosive store and a water tower. Now it stands deserted.

Thomas Matthews designed the present lighthouse in 1895 when the previous one was discovered to be cracking. It stands on an artificial rock foundation that goes down 22 feet (7m) and took nearly two years to build. Later the oil lamp was converted to electricity (1941) and gas (1957) on which it ran until 1985 when it was last used.

Spurn Lighthouse

First lighthouse built: 1427

Current lighthouse built: 1893-1995

Height: 128ft (39m)

Steps: 145

Made of: 300, 000 Staffordshire bricks

Designed by: Thomas Matthews

Built by: Strattens of Edinburgh

Last day of use: 31st October 1985

Location: End of Spurn Point

Access: No public access inside. Sited on National Nature Reserve. Charge for vehicle entry to reserve. No dogs permitted on reserve.

The lighthouse is managed by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. Visit their website to find out more.