The old Formby lighthouse was originally built as a landmark rather than a lighthouse. It was built 1719 at Formby, Lancashire as a daymark on the edge of Liverpool Bay north of the River Alt. It was one of a pair of brick built daymarks; an Upper one 120 feet high and a Lower one 90 feet high; and when these were in line the entrance between the Madwharf and the Burbo bank was marked.

It was the Upper mark that was converted to a lighthouse in 1833 and redesignated as the South East landmark. It was first lit on 1st August 1834 and exhibited a fixed yellow light over a range of 12 miles. On 1st February 1838 the light was altered to a fixed red and it shone until 10th October 1839 when it was made redundant. The first keeper, Lt. Walker, lost his life in the 1836 capsize of the Formby lifeboat leaving his maidservant to ‘mind the light’ and his children. His replacement was John Christopherson.

The lighthouse was brought back from retirement on 16th October 1851 and served until 6th October 1856 when it was made redundant for a second time and although it survived for a number of generations it was eventually demolished in 1941 when it was dynamited by the authorities in August of that year. This was done as an air raid precaution because it was felt that it provided a good landmark for enemy bombers.

No trace of it exists today.