Nicholas Leach

All civilisations have faced the challenges of trading by sea: storms, bad weather, and the hazards of cliffs and other natural landmarks that threaten their safe passage into ports and harbours. To guard against this, their people built lighthouses – first as simple fires on hillsides, but soon these turned to grand towers and buildings that cycled through each scientific advancement as it came. Lighthouses have now become part of the landscape. Aided by beautiful photographs from all four corners of the British Isles, Nicholas Leach presents the story of the lighthouse and its development, from the earliest lights to the modern navigational aids.

England and Wales have long been captivated by the lighthouse, with many of the towers built at the countries’ extremities seen as iconic structures. Lighthouses have seized the imagination for centuries, and have cut striking figures wherever they stand. Newly revised and wholly redesigned, Lighthouses of England and Wales is a complete guide to the lighthouses of England, Wales and the Channel Islands in one spectacular volume. Alongside stunning photographs are pocket histories and statistics for each lighthouse, tower and aid to navigation – large or small – as well as details of how to visit them. Whether you are a lighthouse aficionado, coastal walker, or just someone with an eye for a beautiful view, this is a book not to be missed.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution was established in 1824 and has a long and proud tradition of saving life at sea. Today, the volunteer lifeboat crews on the coasts of Northumberland, County Durham, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire operate high-tech state-of-the-art lifeboats for the purpose of saving lives at sea. The RNLI currently operates sixteen lifeboat stations along the north-east coast of England. This comprehensive book has details of every one, and covers their histories and the current operations. It also includes details of old stations that have been closed, photographs of lifeboat memorials, and contains descriptions of some of the dramatic, courageous and daring rescues undertaken by the lifeboat crews from the region. Author Nicholas Leach has amassed a wealth of information about the lifeboats and lifeboat stations of the North East, past and present, visiting every one to provide a complete and up-to-date record of lifesaving in the treacherous North Sea between Berwick-upon-Tweed in the north and Skegness.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution was established in 1824 and has a long and proud tradition of saving life at sea. Today, the volunteer lifeboat crews on the coasts of Lancashire, Cumbria and the Isle of Man operate high-tech, state-of-the-art lifeboats for the purpose of saving lives at sea. The RNLI currently operates twenty-four lifeboat stations around the North West and Isle of Man. This comprehensive book has details of every one, with information about their histories and the current operations. It also includes details of old stations that have been closed, and contains descriptions of some of the dramatic, courageous and daring rescues undertaken by the lifeboat crews from the region. Author Nicholas Leach has amassed a wealth of information about the lifeboats and lifeboat stations of the North West and Isle of Man, past and present, visiting every one to provide a complete and up-to-date record of life-saving in the Irish Sea and off the north-west coast of England.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution was established in 1824 and has a long and proud tradition of saving life at sea. Today, the volunteer lifeboat crews on the coasts of Cornwall, North Devon and Somerset operate high-tech state-of-the-art lifeboats in their work of saving lives at sea. The RNLI currently operates twenty-one lifeboat stations around the South West and Bristol Channel, including the newest RNLI station to be opened at Portishead. This comprehensive book has details of every one, with information about their history, rescues and current lifeboats. It also includes details of old stations that have been closed, as well as some of the dramatic, courageous and daring rescues undertaken by the lifeboat crews from the region. Author Nicholas Leach has amassed a wealth of information about the lifeboats and lifeboat stations of the West Country, past and present, visiting every one to provide a complete and up-to-date record of life-saving in the seas off this picturesque but often dangerous coastline.