Spurn Head Lighthouses

Find out all about the Spurn lighthouses. Information and history about the lighthouses at Spurn Point and the Spurn lightship...

Spurn Point or Spurn Head is a long spit of land, stretching out into the North Sea, at the mouth of the River Humber.

As you might expect, it is a lonely area - bleak and windswept - but very beautiful, and now home to a Nature Reserve...

As you might imagine, this is an area very much in need of lighthouses to protect passing ships from dangerous sandbanks, as well as ships trying to enter the River Humber, going to Hull or Goole. There has even been a lightship positioned off Spurn Head.

Although we don't have any trace of it now, the earliest reference to a lighthouse here was in 1427. Records show that William Reedbarrow (a hermit) had been granted 'dues' from passing ships, in order to complete a lighthouse here.

Early lighthouses were built on the 'then' end of Spurn Point (thought to be about 2 miles north of the current end). There have been 2 lighthouses at Spurn Point throughout much of history:

• A 'High Light' on the land 'proper'
• A 'Low Light' out on the sands

The Low Light seemed to require regular re-building, but a High Light survived until John Smeaton was commissioned to build 2 new lighthouses at Spurn Point, for Trinity House.

'Smeaton's High Light'

• Built 1776
• Lasted until 1895 when the current Spurn 'High Light' was built, as the foundations of Smeaton's High Light were beginning to collapse
• The tower of the High Light was 112ft high
• The light was visible for 12 miles

Smeaton's High Light lighthouse is not still standing, but you can still see the foundations and base, very close to the current High Light lighthouse

The 'High Light'

This is the 'newer' lighthouse at Spurn, based on the land 'proper' (rather than down on the sands).

The lighthouse is no longer operational, and is not open to the public.

The lighthouse is well worth a visit though, as you get to see the earlier Low Light lighthouse too, and experience the beauty and wilderness of Spurn Head itself...

Facts and Figures About the Spurn High Light

• Where?
  • Spurn Point, Kilnsea, E. Yorks


• When?
  • Built 1895
  • Conical black and white brick tower, with a lantern on top
  • Tower: 128ft high
  • Light: 120ft above sea level and visible for 17 miles


• History
  • The lighthouse was used until 1985, when it was de-commissioned.

The lighthouse is not operational, and is not open to the public.

You can walk right up to it, though. Nearby you can see the Spurn Head Low Light lighthouse (see info below), and the base of one of the earlier lighthouses.

The Low Light

Information about Spurn Head 'Low Light' lighthouse

An enigmatic lighthouse... very picturesque...

This is the disused lower lighthouse at Spurn. It is quite a sight to see - beached out on the lonely sands at Spurn...

Facts and Figures About Spurn Point Low Light

• Where?
  • Spurn Point, Kilnsea, E. Yorks


• When?
  • Built 1852 by John Smeaton
  • A conical brick tower, built on the sands on the foreshore of the Humber
  • Tower: 90ft high


• History
  • The lantern was removed in 1895, when the current High Light Spurn lighthouse was built. Light shone from the new lighthouse at several different levels, so it was no longer required.
  • The lighthouse was once used as an explosives magazine
  • The lighthouse eventually had a 20 thousand gallon water tank placed on top, instead of the tower - you can still see this today.

The lighthouse is no longer operational. It is not open to the public, although you may be able to walk right up to it - depending on the tides!

Sometimes the base of the lighthouse is covered in water, but sometimes it just sits on the sands...

Check out tide times at Spurn Point

The lighthouses are managed by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. Visit their website to find out more.

Find out more about the Spurn Light Ship

Find out more about visiting Spurn Point

Take a look at David's beautiful photos taken at Spurn Point

Return to the main Yorkshire East Coast Lighthouses page



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