There is historical evidence of a lighthouse here since 1427 but, in the 17th century, a pair of lighthouses were built to create leading lights allowing ships to sail around the promontory and into the Humber Estuary.
The present lighthouse, which stands 39 metres high, was built in 1895. Initially lit by an oil lamp, it was converted to electricity in 1941. This allowed the light to be lit briefly to aid allied ships' navigation aid and then extinguished to prevent the enemy ships benefiting. The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1985 due to improvements in on-board navigation.
The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust received a grant to restore the lighthouse and open it as a visitor centre.