High and Low Lights of 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. 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. 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. 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. ==Old High and Low Lights==

Initially, the 1727 High and Low Lights were each lit by three tallow candles. Copper reflectors were added in 1736, and in 1773 the candles were replaced by oil lamps. The Old Low Light is also grade II listed and, as part of Clifford's Fort, stands within a scheduled monument. It served as a fish warehouse during the 20th century; saved from dereliction in 1988, it became a training centre for the Deep Sea Fisheries Association and latterly was occupied by the Maritime Volunteer Service. By the early 21st century the building was in a poor state of repair, but it was comprehensively refurbished after the MVS departed in 2011 and a modern annexe with viewing platform was added. The Old Low Light subsequently opened to the public in 2014 as a museum and community resource; it contains a ground-floor café, a permanent exhibition on the first floor (telling the history of the lighthouses, Clifford's Fort and Fish Quay) and an event space above it. ==New High and Low Lights==

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. The lights were first lit on 1 May 1810. In 1883 responsibility for the two lights was transferred from Newcastle Trinity House to the Tyne Improvement Commission. In December 1927, the Commission converted the two lights from incandescent gas to electricity. The new 100,000 candle-power lights had a range of ; 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. Decommissioning In 1999 the lighthouse at Herd Groyne on the opposite bank of the Tyne had a high-intensity sector light installed for navigation into Tynemouth and along the river, whereupon the High and Low Lights were decommissioned and the buildings sold for housing. The towers, however, continue to serve as daymarks for vessels entering the Tyne and both are Grade II listed buildings. Each New Light stands close to its predecessor: the Low Lights are on Fish Quay, alongside the remains of Clifford's Fort, and the High Lights are at Dockwray Square, on the ridge above the quay to the west. ==See also==