Tucked between buildings belonging to the RNLI and HM Coastguard, in the shadow of the Forth Rail Bridge at the foot of Hawes Pier stands South Queensferry Lighthouse, a small but ornate stone lighthouse that is sadly overlooked and hidden compared to its well-restored twin in North Queensferry.

Built in 1812 to the design of John Rennie, the light marked the landing for the ferry that crossed the Firth of Forth.

The tower was built using dimpled rusticated sandstone, and was originally topped by a hexagonal lantern with a copper dome, almost identical to the one found atop the North Queensferry Lighthouse.

The light fell out of use in 1927 when the lattice Hawes Pier light was established nearer the end of the pier. However, the pier itself fell largely into disuse in 1964 with the completion of the Forth Road Bridge, which replaced the ferry, and nowadays it serves as the boat ramp for an RNLI rib and local tourist boats.

Since deactivation, the original lantern has been removed and replaced with an inauthentic and rather ugly hexagonal glazed room that isn’t in keeping with the rest of the structure or its original design.