St Mary's Island (also known as Bait Island) is a tiny island just to the north of Whitley Bay, opposite Curry's Point on the mainland. The small rocky tidal island can be accessed between the tides via a short concrete causeway which is submerged at high tide.
The lighthouse and adjacent keepers' cottages were built in 1898 on the site of a monastery where a small sanctuary light would have acted as a guide to passing ships. The 125-foot high lighthouse, on a hazardous coast for shipping, remained operational until 1984 when it was superseded by modern navigational techniques. While it no longer functions as a working lighthouse it, together with the former keepers' cottages, is operated as a visitor centre by North Tyneside Council with a small natural history museum, and a café
Link English Heritage Pastscape
The lighthouse, keepers' cottages and associated walling were given Grade II-listed status by English Heritage in 2012 (English Heritage Building ID: 1408299
Link British Listed Buildings).
The island is part of a conservation area, together with the surrounding rocky landscape and the mainland area around it (
Link St Mary’s Island Conservation Area Character Appraisal - North Tyneside Council).
See other images of St Mary's Island and Lighthouse