Two very different harbour lights—one skeletal, one solid—mark successive phases in the engineering of Wick’s harbour entrance.
Quick facts
- Date
- North light later nineteenth century; South Pier light about 1905
- Architect / designer
- Designers not identified in the designation
- Type
- Contrasting cast-iron skeletal and mass-concrete harbour lights
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB42309)
- OS grid reference
- ND 36940 50635
Architecture and continuing use
The South Pier lighthouse is a squat tapering octagonal concrete tower with iron lantern. The North Pier light stands on six braced cast-iron legs supporting a timber lantern and gallery.
Its story
The North Pier structure belongs to the later nineteenth century and was disused by 1991. The South Pier was extended under a 1903 order and its light became operational in 1898 according to the harbour authority; the statutory description dates the fabric about 1905.
Why it is included
Together the lights show changing materials, construction and navigation technology within the harbour that sustained Wick’s fishing economy.
What to notice
- Solid octagonal profile of the South Pier tower.
- Open braced legs beneath the North Pier lantern.
- The lights’ different relationships with their breakwaters.
Reading the surroundings
This is a working harbour with water, vessels and operational surfaces. Follow harbour signs, keep clear of restricted piers and never climb either structure.
Timeline
- North light later nineteenth century The North Pier structure belongs to the later nineteenth century and was disused by 1991. The South Pier was extended under a 1903 order and its light became operational in 1898 according to the harbour authority; the statutory description dates the fabric about 1905.
- Present South Pier light maintained within the working harbour; North Pier light is a retained disused historic structure.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The designation and harbour timeline differ slightly on the South Pier light’s date; the record reports both rather than forcing a false precision.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Wick Harbour South and North Pier Lighthouses, LB42309 — Designation status, mapped location, construction phases, fabric, authorship and architectural or historical interest.
- Wick Harbour Authority: port timeline — Current harbour context, South Pier maintenance and operational-light history.
Location
OS grid reference ND 36940 50635 · Location confidence: High: the statutory designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference and the current source confirms the Place relationship or present identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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