From Souter Lighthouse to the Marsden Grotto
Unique Attractions on the Cliffs of a Rugged, North Sea Coastline
Nov 11, 2009
The rocks along this coast, and into much of the County Durham countryside, are composed of magnesian limestone, laid down as the corals of a shallow sea, some 250 million years ago. The alkaline soils have given rise to species-rich grasslands, which in early summer support a variety of flowers such as orchids, rock rose, cowslips, field scabious and many others. These, in turn, provide habitats for large numbers of butterflies, which include the rare Durham Argus.
The Need for Souter Lighthouse
The rocky coast itself has been responsible for more shipwrecks than any other comparable stretch of British coastline. In one year alone, during the 1860s, twenty ships ran aground between Sunderland and South Shields.
Souter Lighthouse was built in 1871, as the first in the world to be powered by AC electricity. It was originally planned for Souter Point, but built at Lizard Point, a mile to the north, where the cliffs were higher. However, it retained its name to avoid confusion with the lighthouse at The Lizard in Cornwall. The lighthouse was closed in 1999, but taken over by the National Trust, and is now open to visitors.
Inside Souter Lighthouse
The Engine Room contains the generators that powered the light and foghorn. There are also two compressors, electric and diesel, so that the foghorn, which is reputed to be the loudest in Britain, could always be operated. A model shows the layout of the lighthouse, which included six cottages to house the families of the keepers. Unlike the light itself, these cottages were, until 1952, illuminated by oil lamps. The cottages were separated by partitions that could be moved to vary their spaces according to the sizes of the families. There could have been up to 40 residents at any one time.
Some of the cottages are now leased by the National Trust to the public. Each family had a small garden for growing vegetables to supplement their mainly seafood diet. The gardens are still cultivated to supply the restaurant inside the lighthouse.
The site was too close to the sea to sink wells, so a 20 000-gallon tank stored rainwater for use by the families. This was made drinkable by being filtered through charcoal.
A passageway contains displays illustrating the lighthouse’s history and that of the nearby, but now demolished, Marsden village, colliery and railway, as well as life at the lighthouse, a census of some of its keepers and their families and the knots used by sailors. This is augmented by an audio-visual display. A keeper’s cottage is also preserved, as are the emergency batteries brought in to operate the light in 1973, in the event of there being a power cut during the miners’ strike.
A Compass Room is set aside as a play area for children, but also has displays for use during educational visits.
The lighthouse can also be ascended, to give the visitor an extensive view over the rocky coastline where so many ships were wrecked. The windows are sectored, with areas made of red glass. If sailors saw a red light, this meant that they were too close to the shore.
The Coastline of Marsden Bay
The coast for a mile to the north of Souter Lighthouse is dotted with stacks and arches, which provide nesting and roosting perches for sea birds. The largest of these is Marsden Rock, which in springtime, has more than 2000 nesting pairs of kittiwakes and over 200 pairs of fulmars. With some 250 pairs of cormorants, this one of the largest breeding colonies in England.
The remains of steps can be seen on Marsden Rock, up which Victorian visitors used to climb to the top. The rock once had an arch, but when this collapsed in 1996, the unstable smaller stack it left behind was blown up.
Many caves are cut into the base of the cliffs, excavated by men who piloted boats into the Tyne before the piers were built. Ships were charged a levy, based on their tonnage, which went toward supporting the lighthouses they would pass on their journeys.
Marsden Grotto Bar and Restaurant
At the base of the cliffs facing Marsden Rock, and opening onto the beach, is the Marsden Grotto, a bar and restaurant created inside a large cavern cut into the cliff. It is most easily reached by descending in a lift from the car park alongside the road above. The Grotto was closed for a short time during 2007-8 to allow repairs to an adjacent set of steps up the cliff, which were the only means of emergency evacuation from the bar in the event of a high tide and the lift failing to work.
The Grotto is open daily, allowing customers to enjoy its unique beach-and-cave atmosphere from 10 am until midnight.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
