Aberdeen Harbour, Torry, Sinclair Road, East Leading Light
Beacon (19th Century)
Site Name Aberdeen Harbour, Torry, Sinclair Road, East Leading Light
Classification Beacon (19th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Torry 1; Greyhope Road
Canmore ID 104110
Site Number NJ90NE 7.20
NGR NJ 9555 0541
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/104110
- Council Aberdeen, City Of
- Parish Aberdeen
- Former Region Grampian
- Former District City Of Aberdeen
- Former County Aberdeenshire
NJ90NE 7.20 9555 0541
See also NJ90NE 7.19.
Leading Lighthouse (Fixed Red and Green) [NAT]
OS 1:1250 map, 1969.
Light-tower: built 1842 of rivetted iron.
NMRS, MS/712/84.
(Torry 1 (inner leading light, forming pair with Torry 2): location cited as NJ 958 054). Now beside public road: 1842. Tall slender tapering octagonal-section tower, flared out at base to sit on octagonal plinth. Small gallery on seaward side, supported on paired cast-iron brackets and approached by fixed external ladder. Lantern with long vertical panes on seaward side, pyramidal roof, and ventilator with wind-vane.
J R Hume 1997.
Publication Account (2007)
Leading Lights, Torry
The construction of the North Pier and South Breakwater at the entrance to Aberdeen harbour restricted the width of the navigation channel, and it became necessary to provide a navigational aid to assist vessels entering the harbour.
To this end in 1842 the harbour authorities erected leading lights in the form of two lighthouses about 38 ft Cast-high and octagonal in cross-section with sides at the base of 334 ft and at the lantern of 1 3/4ft. These lighthouses were designed by harbour engineer James Abernethy, and were constructed of cast-iron.
Externally the castings are detailed to simulate local granite ashlar masonry, while internally they exhibit the typical bolted flange details associated with construction of cast-iron tunnel linings. The two lowest hexagonal elements of the towers are single castings while at higher
levels the castings are vertically and horizontally jointed. The contractors for the ironwork were James Abernethy and Co., Aberdeen.
R Paxton and J Shipway, 2007.
Reproduced from 'Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Highlands and Islands' with kind permission from Thomas Telford Publishers.
Field Visit (24 April 2008)
NJ 9555 0541 East Leading Light/Beacon (NJ90NE 7.20), 19th century. A beacon tower constructed in 1842
from riveted iron, relocated in the late 19th century. It is still in use as a working guidance beacon, and outside of the development. Its condition is stable.
Cait McCullagh and John Wood (Highland Archaeology Services Ltd), 2008
