Background
Looking over the North Sea, beacon-like, it was designed by the church architect John Loughborough Pearson and built in 1884 by the 6th Duke of Northumberland. The church, in particular its impressive spire of 180 feet, was used as a navigational aid by the fishermen of Cullercoats as well as by major shipping approaching Tynemouth in times gone by. Restoration work on this church has included the replacing of dangerously corroding stonework and the cleaning of some of the stained glass. The material of the church has recently suffered two set-backs that were costly to repair. Firstly, the boiler was condemned in 2007, the lack of which rendered the church a freezer in winter months (sub-zero conditions recorded on several occasions during services winter 2007/2008). This was complicated by asbestos insulation in the boiler house and English Heritage's insistence in a 'like for like' plumbing replacement. Secondly, the church became a victim of crime through the theft of various valuable roofing materials. This created leaks during the spring of 2008 that caused damage to various interior contents of the church.
Read more about this topic: St George's Cullercoats
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