Longstone Lighthouse
| Longstone Lighthouse | |
 Longstone Lighthouse | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Location: | 55°38’38"N, 1°36’39"W |
| Characteristics | |
| Height: | 85 feet |
| Tower shape: | tapered cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern |
| Tower marking: | red tower with horizontal central white band, red lantern |
| Light: | Fl W 20s. |
| Intensity: | 645,000 candela |
| Focal height: | 75 feet |
| Range: | 24 nautical miles |
| Light source: | solar power |
| Admiralty No.: | A2814 |
| History | |
| Built 1826 | |
| Information | |
| Owned by: | Trintiy House |
| Website: | Longstone Lighthouse |
Longstone Lighthouse is an active 19th century lighthouse lighthouse located on Longstone Rock in the outer group of the Farne Islands off the Northumberland. Completed in 1826, it was originally called the 'Outer Farne Lighthouse', and complemented the earlier Inner Farne Lighthouse.
The lighthouse is best known for the 1838 wreck of the Forfarshire and the role of Grace Darling, the lighthouse keeper's daughter, in rescuing survivors.
History
Longstone Lighthouse was built and designed by Joseph Nelson in 1826, and was originally called the 'Outer Farne lighthouse'.[1]
The site had a long history of need for a light. In the late 17th century Sir John Clayton, and later, in 1755, Captain J. Blackhead, requested a light for the island. Both were turned down because the authorities, the Elder Brethren of Trinity House, were unable to persuade affected parties to contribute to the maintenance of the light.[2]
In the mid-1820s the welfare of shipping won over and it was agreed that a lighthouse be constructed. The lighthouse originally used Argand lamps, but in 1952 was finally electrified, and in 1990 became fully automated, and the keepers withdrawn. It remains in use today and is now monitored remotely from the Trinity House Centre at Harwich, Essex.[2]
Tours of the lighthouse, which is only accessible by boat, are operated by The Golden Gate Boat Trip Company under licence from Trinity House.[3]
Optic
The lantern room at the top of the lighthouse used to contain an optic made by Chance Brothers of Smethwick.[4] It was made in 1873 and was used for almost 80 years.[4] The optic was made up from a number of Fresnel lens, which were used to increase the transmission of light from the lamp.[4] That optic is now on display at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum.
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Longstone Lighthouse) |
- Longstone Lighthouse - Trinity House
References
- ↑ Rowlett, Russ: Lighthouses of Northeastern England – The Lighthouse Directory (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Longstone Lighthouse". Trinity House. https://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/lighthouses-and-lightvessels/longstone-lighthouse. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
- ↑ "Discover the Farne Islands On the MV Golden Gate". http://www.discoverthefarneislands.co.uk/. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Thinktank Trust. "Glass for lighthouses". Thinktank Trust. http://www.birminghamstories.co.uk/story_page.php?id=2&type=s&page=7&now=0. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
| Lighthouses of Trinity House |
|---|
|
Great Britain: |
| Channel Islands and Gibraltar: Casquets • Europa Point • Les Hanois • Sark |