Overview
Larne calls it ‘The Pencil’, and from the deck of an incoming ferry you see why: a thin granite round tower, 27 metres tall and 7.5 metres wide at the base, marking the west side of the entrance to Larne Lough. Built by public subscription and completed in 1888, it’s an accurate replica of an early medieval Irish round tower, the kind that dot the landscape across the north. That deliberate echo of the monastic past – rather than a plain industrial light – is what gives it its character, and it’s a Grade B1 listed building.
Be clear about what a visit is, though: you look at it, you photograph it, and you walk on. The door is locked to all but one weekend a year.
The man behind the tower
The monument honours James Chaine (1841–1885), the local MP and entrepreneur who turned Larne from a quiet coastal town into a working port. He developed the harbour and opened the short sea route to Scotland, as well as establishing Larne as a transatlantic port with links to the United States and inland. He sat as MP from February 1874 until his sudden death on 4 May 1885, aged 44.
A public subscription was launched to build a lasting memorial, and the notable thing about it is recorded on the dedication tablet above the doorway: the funds came from ‘every class in this mixed community irrespective of creed or party’. In late 19th-century Ireland that cross-community unity was rare, and it’s set in stone here, overlooking the water Chaine worked to develop.
From monument to working lighthouse
The tower carried no light when it was finished. But mariners found its height and position ideal for a beacon, and after repeated requests the Commissioners of Irish Lights converted it to a lighthouse in March 1899. An oil lamp was installed in a housing 22 metres up the shaft and first lit on 1 July 1899. The light moved to coal gas in 1905, to electricity in September 1935, and from DC to AC in April 1948.
It still works. The light shows an isophase white-red signal every five seconds, with a white range of 16 nautical miles and a red of 12, and it warns vessels off Hunter Rock, a submerged hazard about five miles offshore. The attending keeper is based at Ferris Point Lighthouse across the harbour.
What to see and do
There’s no interior to tour, so this is a short, photography-led stop best timed for the light.
- Walk to the tower – A narrow path leads from the shore to the base, across a grassy knoll with benches and a small picnic area. It’s a fair spot to watch the Scotland ferries come and go.
- Photography – The unpainted, squared Annalong granite (quarried in County Down) has weathered to a grey, mottled patina, and it stands well against the sky. Early morning and late evening give the best light; a large ship in the harbour behind the tower makes the classic shot. Framing it with Larne Lough or the hills of Islandmagee works too.
- Combine with nearby sights – The tower sits within the Antrim Coast and Glens area. Larne Promenade is 0.2 miles away for a longer coastal walk, the Larne Town Parks 0.4 miles, the ruins of Olderfleet Castle about 0.6 miles, and the Larne Museum & Arts Centre 0.9 miles inland for the town’s maritime history.
Practical information
The tower is owned by Mid & East Antrim Borough Council, with the navigation light maintained by the Commissioners of Irish Lights.
- Address: 28 Chaine Memorial Road, Larne, BT40 1AD
- Admission: Free. The grounds and exterior are open year-round, 24 hours. The interior staircase and lantern room are normally locked but open during European Heritage Open Days (usually September), the one chance to climb to the top.
- Parking: At the Larne Promenade car park and the nearby Leisure Centre car park, both a short walk away.
- Accessibility: The approach path is narrow and uneven in places, awkward for wheelchairs or pushchairs. The interior is steep and closed except during heritage events.
Allow about half an hour. Come at sunrise or catch a ferry sliding past behind it, take the photo, and walk it off along the promenade.