South Gare Lighthouse

Lighthouse, built in 1884 under the direction of John Fowler, engineer to Tees Conservancy Commissioners. The lighthouse is constructed primarily of cast iron, featuring a copper dome and a brass and glass lantern housing positioned 18 metres above sea level at low water. It stands upon a truncated Tuscan column set on a pedestal; the pedestal lacks a plinth or cornice but has a chamfered top edge. The column is capped with an octagonal lantern housing beneath a narrow cornice and a hemispherical dome. A chimney and weather vane were removed around 1980. Hooded lifebuoy housings are located on either side of a two-panel timber door, which is braced with steel plates, in the south face of the pedestal. Small portholes in the north and south faces of the column illuminate the staircase. Below the lantern, a railed catwalk or balcony is supported by cusped brackets. The interior features vertical, tongue-and-grooved timber wainscotting, varnished for stain resistance. A wooden and iron newel stair includes patterned brass tread nosings and a handrail. The original paraffin lamp was removed in 1955 and replaced with a mains electricity-powered heliophotal lamp, utilising two 1,000-watt bulbs with one on standby. An auxiliary generator is also on standby. The lamp's output is magnified to 92,000 watts via original glass lenses housed in a rotating brass structure, initially operated by a hand-wound escapement, now driven by electric motors. The lamp produces a flash of 1.5 seconds every 12 seconds, with a range of 20 miles (32km). The adjacent fog horn is not included as a listed feature. The South Gare Breakwater, which extends 2.5 miles (4km), was constructed between 1861 and 1888 using ironworks, slag and concrete to create a safe harbour and increase the draught of water for shipping in the River Tees estuary. This is the only privately owned lighthouse in England.

Alternatively, a second description exists referring to a lighthouse constructed of stone with iron dressings. This structure comprises a single-storey square base with a metal doorway on the west side, flanked by a life belt housing. Above is a circular shaft with a moulded base, surmounted by a projecting iron balcony supported on ornate iron brackets, which in turn lead to an octagonal light housing with a circular metal domed cap.