Old South Pier Lighthouse in Roker Cliff Park Nz 4073 5974

The Old South Pier Lighthouse, located in Roker Cliff Park, was built in 1856 by Thomas Meik for the River Wear Commission. It was constructed for the old South Pier, which was originally built between 1723 and the 1750s. The lighthouse was relocated to its current site in 1983 when the old South Pier was shortened. The structure features painted riveted wrought-iron plates surrounding a cast-iron staircase, a tapered Tuscan column with a gallery on the cornice, and a high dome on top of the lantern. There are two small windows that now face the harbour, with the upper window being an oriel, and two very small roundels that provide light to the opposite side of the staircase. The lighthouse previously had a plaque above the doorway that displayed a sextant and the date 1856. The interior is said to contain an elaborate cast-iron spiral staircase around a central newel. The lighthouse was superseded by the construction of new piers between 1885 and 1907, although the new South Pier was never completed. It is important to note that the previous attribution of the design to J. Pickernell was incorrect, as Pickernell designed a lighthouse in 1802.