Old Low Light

28/08/2026

Peter has had an intense summer. Don't think 5 minutes has gone by and he hasn't had visitors to see him! As a result of all that hosting, and a touch of being on the sea front, one of his signs fell off - the one you all you rabbit hunters want - the one with his magic number on it!

So, while we wait for the good people from St Oswald's Hospice to make their way to him and fix it back on, we've popped our own little blackboard next to Peter with the code on. Sharing it here too, incase you popped down and didn't find it!

He's only with us for another two weeks so if you've not done the trail yet, hop to it people! Hop to it!!! (See what we did there?).

25/08/2026

We're a month away, but there's less than 10 seats left for our Tuesday September talk

HERITAGE TALK: REDISCOVERING BALLAST HILLS BURIAL GROUND
Tuesday 22 September, 1pm
£5 / free for members

Ballast Hills Burial Ground lies on the east side of the Ouseburn Valley, on the north bank of the River Tyne in Newcastle. Between the mid-17th century and 1853 it served as a major unconsecrated burial place for people from across Tyneside and beyond. Established by Nonconformists and used by those outside or excluded from the Anglican parish system, it became the final resting place for many maritime families, labourers, migrants, and members of the working poor, including many from Anglican parishes.

The Lower Tyne Connection Ballast Hills Burial Ground lies on the east side of the Ouseburn Valley, on the north bank of the River Tyne in Newcastle. Between the mid-17th century and 1853 it served as a major unconsecrated burial place for people from across Tyneside and beyond. Established by Nonco...

22/08/2026

Its a couple of weeks until our first heritage talk of the Autumn, but tickets are selling out fast for David Hirst's

HERITAGE TALK: NEW INSIGHTS INTO THE HISTORY OF THE FISH QUAY THROUGH ARTISTS’ EYES
Saturday 12 September
£5 / half price for members

There's going to be a newsletter goes out at the end of this week too, when the last seats are bound to go. So if you've not got your seat yet and want to make sure you have a place - do click the link below.

We are very pleased to welcome art specialist David Hirst, a long-time friend of the Old Low Light, to deliver this updated talk which will explore the history of the fish quay and its people as depicted by local artists. Since his last talk about local artists at the heritage centre in 2022, David....

21/08/2026

Ahoy There!

We're really looking forward to an afternoon with Marras and Mariners at the Old Low Light, on 3rd of October! Nothing brings the top floor at the Old Low Light to life in quiet the same way as their afternoon of folk songs and laughs. Details below!

“AHOY THERE, ME OLD MUCKERS!”
Saturday 3 October, 1pm
£10 pp + Booking Fee

Mariners and Marras are a rum old bunch of community singers based in North Shields who take delight in entertaining the public with their unique mix of sea shanties and North East traditional working songs.

Mariners and Marras are a rum old bunch of community singers based in North Shields who take delight in entertaining the public with their unique mix of sea shanties and North East traditional working songs. Joining in is optional but strongly advised!

20/08/2026

One of the great things about our exhibition on the top floor at the Old Low Light is... you can often see the thing we're talking about, with your own eyes.

Here are a few examples. There's a display looking at Smiths Dock, and then out of the window its next to, you can see Smith's Dock.

Or there's a display about the Tynemouth RNLI lifeboat and outside, you can see the RNLI station and flag flying.

Tyne Brand is a little harder to get into the shot, but we've 3 whole walls (two in this photo and then another) covering Tyne Brand and outside of the door between them - is the Tyne Brand site.

So hope you can join us to explore this local history, and also take in the real sites while you're at it.

13/08/2026

Today is Peter Dade, North Shields’ Mission Man,’s last day in post.

Retiring from the Fishermen's Mission after 34 years, North East Area Manager Peter Dade reflected that his job has been ‘a calling’. A regular feature on the Quay and a pillar of the fishing community, we wish Peter well and thank him for his many years of service. Hopefully, he won’t be a stranger.

Old Low Light Trustee and Volunteer Rachel Chapman sat down with Peter, the longest serving employee in modern times, to reflect on his time in the job.

You can read more on our news page at:

Retiring from the Fishermen’s Mission after 34 years, North East area manager Peter Dade reflected that his job has been ‘a calling’. The Mission’s longest serving employee in recent years, Peter has been a familiar face on North Shields Fish Quay and for many years has supported fishing fam...

12/08/2026

I know its in November and you should not wish your life away, but I am really looking forward to this new talk by art specialist David Hirst, taking the audience back into Northumbria’s Golden Age! Long before the Norman Conquest, our coastal ancestors were crafting world-class art inspired by the wildlife right on their doorstep.

HERITAGE TALK: FEATHER, FANG, AND THREAD: THE WILD ART OF ANGLO-SAXON NORTHUMBRIA
Tuesday 24 November, 1pm
£5 / free for members

Join David for a fascinating journey from the seabird-lined margins of Holy Island’s Lindisfarne Gospels to the battle-worn beasts of the Bayeux Tapestry. Uncover hidden stories of the cormorants, warhorses, hounds and mythical monsters woven into our region’s rich artistic heritage.

We are grateful to David, a longtime friend of the Old Low Light, for developing this second new talk for our autumn programme. It will be of particular interest to anyone who is planning a visit to the Bayeux Tapestry, on display in The British Museum, London from 10 September to 11 July 2027. Art....

11/08/2026

Heritage Talk: New insights into the history of the fish quay through artists’ eyes
Saturday 12 September at 11am

This promises to be a fascinating talk and places are selling fast!
Art specialist David Hirst will explore the history of the fish quay and its people as shown in paintings by well-known local artists through the ages.

These include two by John Davison Liddell (1859-1942) and James Shotton (1824-1896), restored last year as part of the North Shields 800 celebrations and now on display in North Tyneside Register Office. David will also be revealing a never-before exhibited painting by James Shotton of North Shields.

He will also be talking about paintings of the fish quay by John Falconar Slater, George Horton and Victor Noble Rainbird, as well as artworks by more modern artists including James Williamson Bell, Alan Reid Cook and Donald Wall.

£5 / half price for members

For further information or to book a place go to:
https://oldlowlight.co.uk/event/heritage-talk-new-insights-into-the-history-of-the-fish-quay-through-artists-eyes/

08/08/2026

Heritage walk - Clifford’s Fort and Tynemouth Lifeboats

Friday 25 September at 10am (lasts at least two hours)
Starts and finishes outside the Old Low Light Heritage Centre. An easy walk to Prior’s Haven and back.
£5 per person

Want to find out more about the fascinating history of the Old Low Light and the surrounding area? There are still a few places left for this walk, led by retired master mariner Martin Kenny.

To find out more, or to book a place, go to:
https://oldlowlight.co.uk/event/heritage-open-day-walk-with-martin-kenny-cliffords-fort-for-up-to-10-people-2/

07/08/2026

Today 7th August is National Lighthouse Day, when countries all over the world celebrate the iconic towers that keep ships safe in the night. It is a day to remember the important part that our own building played as one of a pair of leading lights guiding ships.

The original Old Low Light, along with the Old High Light, was established in the first half of the 16th century by Trinity House, Newcastle, to ensure safe navigation through the treacherous mouth of the River Tyne. The building we occupy today, which is believed to have been rebuilt around 1727, ceased to function as a lighthouse in 1810.

These buildings were later replaced by the New Low Light and the New High Light. More information is available in our heritage gallery, open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 3pm.

Many thanks to David Hirst for sharing this image showing the four leading lights and, also, this quote by US writer Elinor Dewire who writes and documents lighthouses –“Lighthouses are not just stone, brick, metal, and glass. There is a human story at every lighthouse.”