Save this place and discover nearby attractions with NextOnTrip
In the app you can add it to your favorites, see what else is worth visiting nearby on the map, and earn a badge for your visit.
The app is available for iPhone and Android.
About this place
Maryport New Lighthouse is a small harbour light at the end of the pier in Maryport, on the Cumbrian coast of north-west England. It was built in 1996 and still marks the harbour entrance on the Solway Firth.
What is the New Lighthouse?
It is a modern square tower made of aluminium, roughly 4.7 m (15 ft) tall. It stands at the end of the extended pier and runs on mains electricity. Trinity House, the body that looks after lighthouses around England, ran the light until 2010, when responsibility passed to the Maryport Harbour Authority.
How is it different from the old lighthouse?
Two lighthouses share this stretch of harbour, and visitors often mix them up. The older cast-iron tower dates from around 1846 and has Grade II listed status with Historic England; sources describe it as one of the oldest cast-iron lighthouses in Britain. It was retired from navigation when the new light came into service in 1996, and was restored and repainted in 2017. The heritage listing applies to that older tower, not to the 1990s aluminium one.
What will you see here?
The tower itself is modest. The appeal is the setting: a long pier, the harbour mouth, open water towards the Solway Firth and a view back over the old quays. It makes an easy waterside walk and a good spot for photos around sunrise or sunset. Maryport grew as a trading and shipbuilding port, and the harbour area still has Georgian streets from that era.
How do you get there?
Maryport sits on the west Cumbrian coast, along the route between Workington and Silloth. The lighthouse is at the harbour, on the pier, and you can walk there from the town centre along the quayside. Coordinates are about 54.718 N, 3.511 W.
When should you visit?
Clear days give the best views across the water. The end of the pier is exposed, and a westerly wind can be strong, so dress for it.
Frequently asked questions
Is Maryport New Lighthouse a listed building?
The Grade II listing from Historic England covers the older cast-iron lighthouse of about 1846. The 1996 tower is a separate, modern structure.
When was the new lighthouse built?
In 1996, replacing the old tower as the navigation light.
Who runs it?
The Maryport Harbour Authority, since 2010. Before that it was a Trinity House light.
How tall is it?
About 4.7 m (15 ft) with a square cross-section, so it is far smaller than a typical coastal tower.
Nearby places
Earn badges for the places you visit
Download NextOnTrip, discover new places and check off your trails.