Trevose Head Lighthouse
| Trevose Head Lighthouse | |||
 Trevose Head Lighthouse | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | |||
| Location: | Trevose Head | ||
| Grid reference: | SW850766 | ||
| Location: | 50°32’57"N, 5°2’7"W | ||
| Characteristics | |||
| Height: | 90 feet | ||
| Tower shape: | cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern attached to the keeper's house | ||
| Tower marking: | white tower and lantern | ||
| Light: | Fl W 7.5s. | ||
| Intensity: | 279,000 candela | ||
| Focal height: | 203 feet | ||
| Range: | 21 nautical miles | ||
| Admiralty No.: | A5638 | ||
| History | |||
| Built 1847 | |||
| Information | |||
| Owned by: | Trinity House | ||
| Website: | Trevose Head Lighthouse | ||
Trevose Head Lighthouse stands on Trevose Head on the north Cornish coast, to the west-south-west of Padstow. It was sited here as there was previously no light from Land's End to Lundy[1] and would be visible from Cape Cornwall to Hartland Point.[2]
After completion of the first tower, it was determined that the light was under certain circumstances liable to be mistaken by mariners. A second lower light[3] was therefore proposed and constructed 50 feet in front of the first light, with a covered passage between them for use by the lighthouse keepers.[1] Only the first built 'high' light now remains.
The tower is 90 feet tall and has a range of 20 nautical miles but, on a clear night, you can just spot the light from Pendeen Lighthouse, over 35 miles away ion the Penwith peninsula.
Construction
The lighthouse was designed by engineer James Walker[3] and the two original lights, 'high' and 'low', were constructed under the supervision of Henry Norris [3] by builders Jacob & Thomas Olver of Falmouth [4][1][3] with the Fresnel lens supplied by Henry Lépaute of Paris [3] and the lamp with 4 concentric wicks & frame manufactured by Messrs. Wilkins & Co. of Long Acre.[1][3]
The site was surveyed by order of the Trinity Board in July 1844 with a design submitted that November and approved February 1845. Building began in that May with the laying out of the road and contract entered into with the builders the next month.[1] During gales on 20-21 November 1846 scaffolding attached to the tower was blown away.[5]
The light was first lit on 1 December 1847.[3][6]
In 1882 the 'high' light was changed to an occulting light and the 'low' light put out of use. In 1912 the light was again updated and work began on installing a 36-foot long fog horn, which came into service in 1913 and was itself replaced by a new horn in 1963. The lighthouse was automated and became unmanned in 1995.[7]
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Trevose Head Lighthouse) |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "The Illustrated London News". 16 October 1847.
- ↑ "Royal Cornwall Gazette". 3 November 1843. p. 8. "Trevose Head is the only proper position for such lighthouse, as it is vible from all the coast between Cape Cornwall and Hartland Point"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "Lighthouse management : the report of the Royal Commissioners on Lights, Buoys, and Beacons, 1861, examined and refuted Vol. 2". pp. 92, 93. https://archive.org/stream/lighthousemanage02blak#page/92/mode/2up.
- ↑ "Royal Cornwall Gazette". 13 June 1845. p. 3. "FALMOUTH EXPRESS...Messrs. Olver, builders, of this town, have taken a contract to build the intended Lighthouse on Trevose Head, near Padstow, which is to be completed in about 11 months."
- ↑ "Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette". 26 November 1846. p. 2. "The storm on Friday and Saturday last...much of the scaffolding attached to the Trevose Lighthouse was blown away"
- ↑ "Woolmer's Exeter and Plymouth Gazette". 11 December 1847. p. 8. "The new light-house so long talked of on Trevose Head has at length been completed...The light was first exhibited on 1st instant."
- ↑ Trinity House - Trevose Head
| Lighthouses of Trinity House |
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Great Britain: |
| Channel Islands and Gibraltar: Casquets • Europa Point • Les Hanois • Sark |