Whitehaven Lighthouses
Whitehaven Lighthouses – For many years, one of the hot topics of conversation around Whitehaven was the derelict state of the two lighthouses – but not anymore.
The long-awaited unveiling of the lighthouses took place earlier this year and boy do they shine!
The first to be revealed was the 19th-century West Pier Lighthouse which was unveiled and shown off to the world in April this year. The North Pier Lighthouse was finally revealed in July after many delays due to weather and sourcing materials.
Both look fantastic as they stand proud at the end of each pier.
Gone are the rusty railings and dirty peeling paintwork, both lighthouses now radiate a crisp white glow with bright, distinctive red borderings. They are unmissable and the transformation is just marvellous to see.
They have been brought back to life and now serve as true beacons, keeping the history and heritage of the town very much alive and amplifying the beauty of the harbour.
The whole project has been overseen by Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners, John Baker from The Harbour Commissioners said: “This project has been a labour of love and it’s such a brilliant feeling to see them finally in all their glory. We have had lots of positive feedback from the public and it’s nice to see people actually walking down the harbour and sitting around them now.
They have made a difference to the harbour and will hopefully attract more people to the town and see everything that we have to offer here. The Lighthouses are something we can take pride in now!”
Gary McKeating from Sellafield Ltd, was not only responsible for directing funding to these projects but is also a great photographer and recorded the progress of the restorations of each lighthouse from the first day to the day of completion.
Gary’s photographic journey of the restoration of the lighthouses will be on display as part of an exhibition at The Rum Story from September 23rd to October 20th.
