Longships Lighthouse,nr Land's End, Cornwall
N 50° 04.030 W 005° 44.793
30U E 303450 N 5549712
Longships lighthouse is sited on Carn Bras, the largest of the Longships group of rocks, which is 12 metres above high tide. Longships is located about 1 mile west of Lands End.
Waymark Code: WMBJZH
Location: South West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 05/28/2011
Views: 11
Trinity House obtained a patent to build a lighthouse on the Longships rocks in 1791. The architect for Trinity House was Samuel Wyatt. The light was first lit in 1795 but the leasee, a Lt Henry Smith, was soon found unable to manage the affair. The lightkeepers on the Longships led a primitive existence, cooking their meals in the lantern by the heat from the lamps. They worked one month on watch at the lighthouse and one month ashore. Foods was provided free whilst at the lighthouse and they were paid £30 per annum.
The terrific seas which raged over the rock during storms often obsured the light. This eclipse by the waves was the reason given for the replacement of Wyatt's tower by the present circular tower of grey granite built by Sir James Douglass, Trinity House engineer, in 1875.
The lighthouse was finally automated in 1988. It is now monitored and controlled from the Trinity House Operations and Planning Centre at Harwich.
The light is 3KW, with First Order Dioptric Optics. The character of the light is thus- White And Red Isophase Every 10 Seconds(Light 5 Seconds, Eclipse 5 Seconds) and is visible for 18 nautical miles.
Coastal Lighthouse: Lighthouse
Range Lights: Not listed
LIGHTHOUSE CHALLENGE VISIT: Not listed
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