Pharos Lighthouse

The Pharos Lighthouse is located on Pharos Street, FY7 6BG. Find it opposite the Ferry berth and shops at The Esplanade. The What3Words reference is messaging.jiggle.masking.

Pharos Lighthouse

Pictured above is the lighthouse as it appears today, and below some historic scenes from over the years.

History of Pharos Lighthouse

The Pharos Lighthouse is also called the Upper Lighthouse. Decimus Burton and Capt. H. M. Denham designed it and it was completed in 1840.

It’s the taller of the two land-based lighthouses in Fleetwood. Pharos Lighthouse is a 90ft tapered cylindrical column of red sandstone. The tower is located around 300 yards into the town and in line with the Lower Lighthouse. Also lined up with the channel to the Wyre Light, the first ever operational screw pile structure in the world, which is out to sea.

Fleetwood Lighthouses are unusual in that their use is to safely guide mariners into port rather than warning them away. This use was the concept of Capt. H.M. Denham. The neo-classical design was by Decimus Burton and built by John Tomkinson.

A town first…

Lit on 1 December 1840, the Pharos Lighthouse, along with the Lower Lighthouse, were the first ever illuminated by town gas. The gas flame was reflected by a silver parabolic reflector behind the burner and magnified by a Fresnel Lens in front. Later the lighthouse was converted to electricity.

It can be seen for 12 nautical miles. Vessels coming into Fleetwood would turn in land at the Wyre Light, positioning them in the mouth of Wyre Channel. They would then line up the land-based lights, one above the other and that would guide them safely down the long narrow channel into Fleetwood.

In the 1920’s the public had access to the lighthouse, particularly at weekends, for an admission fee collected by retired mariners. There are 107 steps and a 10-foot ladder to climb to get to the top! Today, with worn steps and a tricky ladder, access is hazardous so no longer allowed.

Reasons for plaque award

The Pharos Lighthouse, built in 1840, is one of a unique trio of lighthouses. The Pharos and Lower and Lighthouses work to guide mariners into port rather than warning boats away from danger.

Use the map and walk the route around Fleetwood – find all the other sites and buildings in the trail.

Colouring In Fleetwood

Why don’t you download, print out and complete this FREE colouring in sheet of Pharos Lighthouse. Click on the image to download it. Find all of the colouring in sheets for the Fleetwood Blue Plaque trail here.

Links to other websites

• Much more about Fleetwood Lighthouses guiding ships to port • Visit Fleetwood
• Pharos Lighthouse, Fleetwood • Wikipedia
• Fleetwood Lighthouses: Pharos and Low Lighthouse, Lancashire • Lighthouse Accommodation