Souter Lighthouse stands on the coastline midway between the Tyne and the Wear. An iconic beacon, painted in red and white bands, Souter Lighthouse was the first lighthouse in the world built to be powered by electricity. Before the lighthouse was built in 1871, this coastline was the most dangerous in the country due to the high number of ships that were wrecked on the dangerous reefs of Whitburn Steel. The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1988 but continued to serve as a radio navigation beacon until 1999.
When Souter Lighthouse opened in 1871, it was a technological marvel, being the first lighthouse built to use electricity. Decommissioned in 1988, the Engine Room machinery remains in working order, the Light Tower and Keeper’s Cottage are also on view and give an insight into the life of a keeper and one hundred years of changing technology.
