Leasowe Lighthouse

Leasowe Lighthouse stands on Moreton Common near Mockbeggar Wharf on the Wirral Peninsula. Built in 1763 from 660,000 hand-made bricks, it is the oldest brick lighthouse in the United Kingdom. The cylindrical tower rises one hundred and one feet with thick cavity walls and a plain balcony. Inside, seven floors are reached by a cast-iron staircase of one hundred and thirty steps, installed in 1898. The light originally burned coal, then oil from 1772, and later used eight Argand lamps and reflectors. The lighthouse guided ships safely through Rock Channel to the Port of Liverpool until 1908. Two lighthouses were built at Moreton under a 1761 Act of Parliament, but the lower one was destroyed by a storm in 1769. The last keeper was Mrs Williams, the only known female lighthouse keeper of the period. After closure, the building served as a tearoom before becoming a Grade II listed historic site in 1952. A community group restored it and now runs events and activities. Visitors find a small visitor centre and a focal point for the North Wirral Coastal Park. The surrounding common and wharf offer walking and bird watching. The lighthouse hosts charity abseiling, paranormal visits, film shoots and running group meetings. Its plain design and thick walls remain unchanged since the 18th century.