Eilean Ban, Kyleakin Lighthouse
Lighthouse (19th Century)
Site Name Eilean Ban, Kyleakin Lighthouse
Classification Lighthouse (19th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Kyle Lighthouse; Kyle Of Lochalsh Lighthouse
Canmore ID 89185
Site Number NG72NW 6
NGR NG 74508 26990
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/89185
- Council Highland
- Parish Lochalsh
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Skye And Lochalsh
- Former County Ross And Cromarty
EILEAN BAN
Small island, now overshadowed by the concrete stanchions that use it as a launching pad for the Skye Bridge.
Lighthouse, D. & T. Stevenson, in operation 1857-1960, linked by causeway to keepers' houses, a pair of single-storey, back-to-back ranges, stylishly converted in 1968 by Gavin Maxwell as his last home. Recently restored from dereliction by Eilean Ban Wildlife Trust as a warden's residence and small museum.
Taken from "Western Seaboard: An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Mary Miers, 2008. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk
NG72NW 6.00 74508 26990
NG72NW 6.01 NG 74632 27040 keepers' houses
(Location cited as NG 745 271). Kyleakin Lighthouse, Eilean Ban. Built 1857 by engineers D and T Stevenson. A short circular-section tower on a rocky promontory, linked to a single-storey range of keepers' houses by a concrete causeway.
J R Hume 1977.
This lighthouse was proposed in 1853, constructed by David and Thomas Stevenson, and first lit on 10 November 1857; the light was made directional by the incorporation of 'condensing' apparatus into the dioptric mechanism. It was automated in 1960 and discontinued after being made obsolete by the construction of the overarching Skye Road Bridge (NG72NW 7 and NG72NE 37).
R W Munro 1979; K Allardyce 1998.
The 1968 edition of the OS 1:10,560 map and the current edition of the HBM Buildings List concur in placing this building within the parish of Lochalsh, rather than Strath as was previously noted by RCAHMS.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 18 May 2000.
NMRS REFERENCE
Kyle of Lochalsh Lighthouse.
NMRS Printroom 1.13
Inglis Photograph Collection, Acc no. 1994/90
Kyle of Lochalsh Lighthouse, print mounted on folded card.
Found in Inglis Collection box titled 'Borders, Central, Dumfries, Fife, Grampian, Highland.'
Build (1857)
D. & T. Stevenson’s Kyleakin Lighthouse.
R Paxton and J Shipway, 2007.
Note (18 May 2000)
The 1968 edition of the OS 1:10,560 map and the current edition of the HBM Buildings List concur in placing this building within the parish of Lochalsh, rather than Strath as was previously noted by RCAHMS.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 18 May 2000.
Publication Account (2007)
Kyleakin Lighthouse
(Institute Civil Engineers Historic Engineering Works no. HEW 0084/02)
This 69 ft tall sentinel at the entry to Skye is D. & T. Stevenson’s Kyleakin Lighthouse, since 1995 somewhat dwarfed by the Skye Bridge which now even supports the navigational light! When built in 1857 this lighthouse, with its five-span continuous plate-iron footbridge over the rocks, was one of the best examples of its class and exhibited one of the world’s first
fixed condensing lights. It now forms part of the island nature reserve, of naturalist Gavin Maxwell fame, administered by the Eilean Ba'n Trust. Paxton and J Shipway, 2007.
Reproduced from 'Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Highlands and Islands' with kind permission from Thomas Telford Publishers.
