Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Lowlands and Borders
Date 2007
Event ID 578097
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/578097
This lighthouse was built by contract at the northern tip of the Rhinns of Galloway for the Northern Lighthouse Board from 1815–16. Its masonry tower is 110 ft high. The engineer was Robert Stevenson.
On his inspection voyage in December 1815, Stevenson noted that building operations were going on with all
speed and that the first stage of the tower, 30 ft high, and a part of the dwelling house were being built. His pecification for the light, published in local newspapers in October 1816 advertised ‘The light will be from oil with a reflecting and revolving apparatus . . . light of natural appearance alternating with red’. This was one of the earliest applications of this distinction.
The lighthouse was modernised in 1891 and 1910. Since the lights were automated much of the former lighthouse station now serves as a hotel.
R Paxton and J Shipway 2007
Reproduced from 'Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Lowlands and Borders' with kind permission from Thomas Telford Publishers.
