Ian Hills

Moving Sunderland's Lighthouse Ian Hills

In 1841, storm damage to Sunderland's old North Pier threatened to undermine the masonry lighthouse which had stood at its head since 1802. The lighthouse had to be moved and moved quickly if it was to be saved. The job was undertaken by John Murray, engineer to the River Wear Commissioners, who put forward a bold and novel plan to move the lighthouse in one piece. If simply moving a 300-ton masonry tower in one piece was not difficult enough, its route would require not only a major change in direction but negotiation of a curve and even ascent of an incline. However, this amazing effort has been almost totally forgotten. The book explains not only why saving the lighthouse was so important but shows exactly how, even with the very limited resources available 150 years ago, this remarkable feat was accomplished. Carefully illustrated with drawings to show in detail the techniques that Murray used and make them comprehensible to the reader, the book also provides an explanation of why and how these techniques were used.