Seaton Carew lighthouse

Seaton Carew Lighthouse stands in Hartlepool Marina, a rebuilt tower moved from its original inland site. The original pair guided ships into the River Tees, with the low light on the seafront and the high light inland. Evidence shows a 15th-century lighthouse once stood nearby. The high light was a Tuscan column of ashlar sandstone built in 1838, with a helical stair lit by slit windows. Both towers exhibited fixed lights, one red and one white, to mark the safe channel. The towers were part of an 1838 plan by the Tees Navigation Company to improve access to the river. Their use ended in 1892 when a new breakwater lighthouse took over. The low light was demolished in 1902 for a coastal tramway, but its memory survives in a painting by local artist Thomas Grainger. The high light fell into disrepair before being rescued and moved to Hartlepool Marina in 1995. Today the relocated high light, now called Seaton Tower, stands as a memorial to those lost at sea. It is set within the regenerated marina, surrounded by modern waterside buildings. Visitors can walk around the tower and see its restored stonework and stair. The marina offers views across the water and along the coast. The tower’s presence recalls the area’s maritime past and the dangers faced by sailors.