The Lighthouses that surround our nation are some of the most Majestic Buildings to visit and are often located on scenic stretches on coastline, St Mary's Lighthouse is no exception standing proud in the traditional white, on a rocky outcrop which is cut of from the mainland twice daily at high tide.

Visiting the island can be an enjoyable outing whatever the weather from the car park a walk along the promenade offers a continuation along the beach to Whitley Bay or Bird Watching the winter Waders in the wet sanctuary from the Hides provided, there is also a cliff top walk along the Headland through New Hartley to Seaton Sluice.

The Lighthouse built in 1898 is 126 feet high, all of which visitors can climb to enjoy the panoramic view and can be seen for a distance of up to 18 miles out to sea to warn Sea Farers of the Coastal Dangers, identifying itself and location by the repeated Unique Signature of rotational flashing lights.

For nearly ninety years the Island was the home for two rotating lighthouse keepers and their families, their jobs being to clean and maintain the Clockwork Lamp & Lens Mechanism which included hand carrying Paraffin Fuel Oil up the 137 steps to the light.

The light is no longer operational due to the use of Global Satellite Navigation on Modern Sea Going Vessels the lighthouse is now a Museum of Marine Life, with rock pools outside for younger visitors who want practical experience of new knowledge.

When King Henry 1 granted lands to the Prior of Tynemouth around 1106, the name was altered to 'Seton Monachorum'. The prefix 'Monk' is often found in connection with places belonging to religious houses, and so in this case it became known as Monk Seaton, or Seaton of the Monks.

Garden Cottage known as Ramsay's Fort which had two Imitation Cannons to ward of the Invading French

Monkseaton Village has been absorbed into the urban confines of the nearby town of Whitley Bay, its history pre‑dates that town by many years, and to anyone who resides in Monkseaton, the place is still referred to as 'The Village'.

The areas that skirt the outer boundary of Monkseaton to the southeast, are Hillheads (formerly known as Whitley Hill Heads), along with the villages of New York and Murton to the south‑west, and Earsdon to the north.

Leaving Whitley bay traveling north towards Seaton Sluice one rises to the Deleval Arms Public House on the headland overlooking St Mary's Lighthouse, an area known as Old Hartley where a there ins a fine Caravan Site for touring units, followed by a run down to the Sluice once a very active Coal Port.

One of the local pits in the area to supply the port with Black Gold was the New Hartley Pit which was located a mile or so inland past Deleval Hall at  New Hartley which was the scene of the North East of England's worst pit disaster.

St Mary's Lighthouse from S.Sluice  - Ivan Lindsay

Seaton Deleval Hall north of Whitley Bay is an English baroque house which was rebuilt following a fire in 1822 by the architect Sir John Vanbrugh, renowned for Castle Howard in Yorkshire.

Starlight Castle, the ruins of which area still visible after a short walk up the sluice from the Harbour was the product of a wager made by Lord Deleval that he could build a castle for his mistress in a weekend.