Coquet Lighthouse

Coquet Lighthouse stands on Coquet Island, a small island of about six hectares situated 1.2 kilometres off Amble on the Northumberland coast. The island is owned by the Duke of Northumberland and managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds as a bird reserve. It is home to important seabird colonies, including over 18,000 pairs of puffins and the largest colony of endangered roseate terns in Britain. Other nesting birds include sandwich terns, common terns, Arctic terns, black-legged kittiwakes, fulmars, and eider ducks. Seasonal wardens are present throughout the summer to protect the nesting birds, while landing on the island is prohibited for the general public. The island holds the remains of a medieval monastery incorporated into the 19th-century lighthouse and keeper’s cottages. Coquet Lighthouse was built in 1841 by Trinity House to James Walker’s design, featuring a white square sandstone tower with walls over a metre thick. The first keeper was William Darling, elder brother of Grace Darling. The lighthouse originally used a large fixed dioptric lens by Isaac Cookson & Co., later replaced with refracting prisms. Red sectors were added in 1854 to warn ships of nearby hazards, and the light was electrified in 1976 after decades of oil-fuelled operation. Visitors can take boat trips from Amble that sail close to the island in good weather, offering good views of puffins and roseate terns. The lighthouse’s original 1841 optic will return in 2025 to operate alongside a modern LED lamp. The island’s uninhabited winter landscape contrasts with its busy summer birdlife, and the lighthouse’s automated systems now rely on solar power. The surrounding Northumberland coast provides a scenic backdrop, with nearby Hauxley Point and Boulmer Rocks marking the red sectors’ warning zones. The island’s history, from Henry of Coquet’s hermitage to the lighthouse’s evolving technology, adds depth to a visit.