The north-east coastline of England was the nation's most important highway during the industrial revolution, as coal was brought south from Newcastle and the north-east to London to power the burgeoning capital. The coast has been the graveyard of many ships over the past centuries, with its major hazards including notorious rocks and reefs, headlands and sandbanks. To guard mariners from its dangers, a chain of lights was built to mark the most dangerous points. Guiding mariners on their way, these lights often stand as lone sentinels, in picturesque locations, overlooking the sea. In "Lighthouses of England: The North East", details of all the significant aids to navigation along the north-east coast of England are included, starting at Berwick upon Tweed, the most northerly light in England, and going south to the Humber estuary. As well as many high quality previously unpublished photographs, it contains histories of all the lighthouses - major and minor - and details of their locations, what access is possible for the visitor, and current use.
The stunning colour photographs of all of the lighthouses in the country are the highlight of the book, but the historical introduction, which sets the scene, provides the background to how aids to navigation developed along the coasts of Northumberland, Durham, Yorkshire and Humberside. Some of the most famous lighthouses in the British Isles stand on this coast, from the offshore stations at Longstone and Inner Farne, to the magnificent Flamborough Head and the historic Spurn Point, which is now no longer operational. Many are maintained and operated by Trinity House, which has assisted the authors with the production of this book. At the other end of the scale are the smaller harbour lights marking the entrances to the country's ports, and which are often impressive structures in their own right. The towers helping seafarers into the ports of Newcastle and Sunderland are amongst the more significant such structures.
- ISBN10 0956456022
- ISBN13 9780956456021
- Publish Date 1 November 2010 (first published 25 September 2009)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Foxglove Publishing Ltd
- Imprint Foxglove Media
- Format Paperback
- Pages 112
- Language English