The one where it's International Lighthouse Heritage Weekend
This weekend (19th and 20th August 2023) is International Lighthouse Heritage weekend. According to the Association of Lighthouse Keepers, this weekend aims to “raise the profile of lighthouses, lightvessels and other navigational aids, promoting our maritime heritage.” You can read more about it on their website here.
I love a lighthouse. As well as appreciating their amazing functionality and how many lives they’ve saved over the years, I’m drawn to them because they are so beautiful. The height, the shape and, of course, the setting make them such special buildings.
With books set by the coast, I couldn’t not feature lighthouses. My Whitsborough Bay setting is predominantly inspired by Scarborough where there is a lighthouse. Scarborough Pier Lighthouse is a white one at the end of the main harbour wall. The former harbour master’s lodgings attached to the lighthouse are the headquarters for Scarborough Yacht Club. It was badly damaged during WWI when Scarborough was bombed, and rebuilt in 1931.
It’s a beautiful building but my favourite lighthouses are the ones which are red and white striped. There’s something about them that really draws me in. As Whitsborough Bay is fictional, I couldn’t resist making my harbour lighthouse red and white striped. There’s another red and white striped one a couple of miles down the coast at Starfish Point. It appears on the cover of all three books in The Starfish Café series and the main one appears on two of my other Whitsborough Bay books – Finding Hope at Lighthouse Coveand Coming Home to Seashell Cottage.
My debut book, New Beginnings at Seaside Blooms, includes a couple of key scenes by Whitsborough Bay Lighthouse. This book was originally called Searching for Steven so red and white lighthouses became known in our family as ‘Steven Lighthouses.’ Any time we spot one, no matter how small (or fake), we excitedly cry, ‘Steven Lighthouse!’ which probably sounds very strange to anyone in earshot! Okay, so maybe it's just me who does the excited cry, but hubby and daughter do point them out.
Searching for Steven was originally out with a publisher who featured a florist shop on the cover. When they ceased trading and I put the book out again as an indie author, my husband needed to design a speedy holding cover which looked a bit homemade but served a purpose and, for me, it absolutely needed a lighthouse on it. This evolved into a lovely lighthouse cover. When Boldwood Books took this book on from my backlist, we returned to a florist shop on the re-named book but that made sense as there was going to be a lighthouse on the next book in the series - Finding Hope at Lighthouse Cove. Lighthouse Cove is a place where the main character in that book goes to think and, in the original version of the book, it didn't actually have a name. We came up with Lighthouse Cove for the re-issue, hence the logic of the lighthouse on that cover.
Despite having loved lighthouses for as long as I can remember, I haven’t actually visited that many and I’ve only ever been inside one – on the end of Whitby pier (not a striped one but still beautiful). I must rectify that. I’ve walked along the pier to Scarborough’s lighthouse on many occasions but it isn’t open to the public.
On holiday in North Norfolk a couple of years back, I loved seeing Happisburgh Lighthouse, especially as it’s my favourite type. The top left photo on my graphic was taken by the hubby. Isn't it stunning?
Lighthouses are also very relevant to the storyline in Starry Skies Over The Chocolate Pot Café, but I can't say why without giving spoilers so you'll just have to read the book to find out! It's one of my favourite plot points across all of my books.
It’s a little fantasy of mine to live in a lighthouse, but it’s not something I’ve ever seriously looked into. Quite often they’re in remote locations and I can imagine them being subjected to a lot of scary weather! I found a website gathering together lighthouses for sale in the UK if you fancy looking - Lighthouses for Sale.
If someone did buy a lighthouse as a conversion project (something which happens in Kim Nash’s gorgeous book, Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove), it must take a tremendous amount of vision (and a lot of money) to convert it into a home. And all of those stairs! I think this is something that will remain a fantasy for me.
I’m hoping to write a story about someone who owns a lighthouse in a future book. I have a very clear idea for a story which my editor loves, but finding the time to squeeze it in to our plans is proving to be challenging.
I’ve picked up a lot lighthouse merch since creating Whitsborough Bay and a lighthouse even features on my business card. I have to force myself to be restrained when I see lighthouses now as I’ve run out of space to put them! The various items look great with my books – the excuse I give myself for a sneaky little purchase!
From ornaments to mugs to pictures, I can't resist a lighthouse. I'm hoping that, one day, Jellycat will bring out a lighthouse in their range. I love Jellycats and a smiley lighthouse would be so precious. If anyone knows anyone at Jellycat …
Hubby and I would love to tour the USA one day and I would absolutely need to plan in seeing lots of lighthouses as part of that. For now, I hope to explore more of the ones in the UK. Although I love the tower style lighthouses the most, I'm still fascinated by the less conventional looking ones like this one in Bamburgh, Northumberland. I think the windows and door look like a face and like to think of it as a happy lighthouse.
Do you love lighthouses? Do you have one near you or have you visited any you particularly love in the UK or abroad? Please do let me know in the comments.
If you have a lighthouse near you, it’s possible there’s a special event on this weekend to celebrate International Lighthouse Heritage weekend. I'm off to make another cuppa in my lighthouse mug. Have a fabulous weekend, everyone.
Big lighthouse hugs
Jessica xx