NewsBreak26 with Vicki Hogarth: Saving Pendlebury Lighthouse

The historic Pendlebury Lighthouse in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, is in dire need of repairs after suffering significant damage from recent winter storms.

Built in 1833, Pendlebury Lighthouse is the third oldest lighthouse in New Brunswick. At the time of its construction, there were eight lighthouses around Passamaquoddy Bay. Today, Pendlebury is the only one that remains, with the others lost to time and the elements.

"It's the oldest mainland lighthouse in New Brunswick," says current Pendlebury lightkeeper Alastair Fox. "It was built in 1833. And it's a Harbour entrance light rather than a lighthouse because it had a fixed light instead of a revolving one. So boats approaching would be able to take a bearing to come into the Harbour here."

Its official name was St. Andrews Lighthouse, but it became known as Pendlebury after the family that served as its lightkeepers for 96 years. The last lightkeeper, Miss E. Pendlebury, tended the light until it was decommissioned in 1938. After decommissioning, the lighthouse became part of The Lighthouse Restaurant, a once beloved local establishment. But, over the years, the lighthouse has faced numerous challenges. 

In 2001, concrete blocks were placed by the Saint Andrews Civic Trust around the seawall to secure the building, and the following spring, the Civic Trust moved the lighthouse 15 meters to its current site for safety. By 2003, the Lantern Room was meticulously restored by students and staff at the local Community College. In 2005, the Lighthouse Restaurant was carefully removed, preserving the lighthouse. Despite all these efforts, the lighthouse suffered significant damage from a series of harsh winter storms this past year that wreaked havoc on the historic structure, including ripping off the railing.

"There were two bad storms," says Fox The railing broke down in the first storm, and then the second one, we had more of a washout. Initially, for the summer, we want to get this railing back up again. Obviously, we want to fill in the new outlines for the Lighthouse Keeper's cottage and have wheelchair accessibility up onto the boardwalk. Also, we need to paint the lighthouse. There are some rotten boards on it. And so we've had a quote of $40,000 to do all the work, preparatory work here, and then another $8,000 quote for doing the painting."

The Civic Trust of Saint Andrews aims to raise $150,000 for the repairs, to build an accessibility ramp, and to establish a trust to ensure the lighthouse's preservation for future generations. They are hosting the Lightkeeper's Social on July 4th at the St. Andrews Yacht Club. This event will feature cocktails and a silent auction, with a limited number of tickets available. For more information on how you can help save this historic beacon or attend the fundraiser, visit the Civic Trust of Saint Andrews' website at standrewscivictrust.ca.

"I'm a sailor, so I just love lighthouses, and they're becoming more and more decrepit sailing around the coast," says Fox. "You see abandoned ones, and on Grand Manan, there's one that's just collapsed into the water. And they're just such an iconic part of sea life. To have something in such great condition as Pendlebury Lighthouse, it would just be a shame to let it go."