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Mull Of Kintyre, Lighthouse
Lighthouse (18th Century)
Site Name Mull Of Kintyre, Lighthouse
Classification Lighthouse (18th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Mull Lighthouse; Mull Of Kintyre Lighthouse; Kintyre Light; Carskiey
Canmore ID 38215
Site Number NR50NE 2
NGR NR 58740 08412
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/38215
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Southend
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
This shore lighthouse guards the E side of the N Channel, the northern entrance to the Irish (Celtic) Sea. In practice, it is often obscured by fog, and is situated too far NW to guard the entrance to the Clyde. It was built by Thomas Smith and lit in 1787 or 1788, as one of the initial programme of four lighthouses built by the Commissioners of Northern Lights; the others were Kinnaird Head, Eilean Glas, Scalpay, and the original light on Dennis Head, North Ronaldsay, Orkney. The original light was rebuilt 'in a more permanent form' between 1821 and 1830, in keeping with the Commissioners' 'national establishment' policy. This station was an early receipient (c. 1876) of a fog signal. The light was altered from fixed to group flashing in 1906, the power being increased from 8,000 to 281,000cp at the same time. It was electrified (and further increased to 1,515,000cp) in 1976.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 28 April 2006.
NR50NE 2.00 58740 08412
Mull Lighthouse [NAT]
OS 1:10,000 map, 1979.
NR50NE 2.01 NR 5904 0722 Lower Horn House
NR50NE 2.02 NR 5802 0722 Lower Horn House
NR50NE 2.03 NR 5868 0838 Upper Horn House
For building (not necessarily associated with the lighthouse) at NR 5894 0837, see NR50NE 5.
NMRS REFERENCE:
Mull of Kintyre, Lighthouse.
Architect and Engineer: Mr Kay and Thomas Smith. 1786-88.
(Undated) information in NMRS.
Mull of Kintyre lighthouse was originally established in 1788 and the circular tower of harled rubble masonry which forms the nucleus of the present complex of buildings probably dates from this period. The house on the NE dates from 1857 and that on the SE from 1883. An early reflecting mechanism from the lighthouse is preserved in Campbeltown Museum.
RCAHMS 1971.
(Location cited as NR 587 084 and name as Mull of Kintyre Lighthouse). Built 1786-8 for the Trustees for Northern Lighthouses by engineer Thomas Smith. A short circular tower with triangular-paned top lantern and single-storey flat-roofed keepers' houses. The tower has a neat iron railing round its corbelled walkway and is probably original.
J R Hume 1977.
This shore lighthouse guards the E side of the N Channel, the northern entrance to the Irish (Celtic) Sea. In practice, it is often obscured by fog, and is situated too far NW to guard the entrance to the Clyde. It was built by Thomas Smith and lit in 1787 or 1788, as one of the initial programme of four lighthouses built by the Commissioners of Northern Lights; the others were Kinnaird Head, Eilean Glas, Scalpay, and the original light on Dennis Head, North Ronaldsay, Orkney. The original light was rebuilt 'in a more permanent form' between 1821 and 1830, in keeping with the Commissioners' 'national establishment' policy. This station was an early receipient (c. 1876) of a fog signal. The light was altered from fixed to group flashing in 1906, the power being increased from 8,000 to 281,000cp at the same time. It was electrified (and further increased to 1,515,000cp) in 1976.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 28 April 2006.
Field Visit (1971)
Mull of Kintyre lighthouse was originally established in 1788 and the circular tower of harled rubble masonry which forms the nucleus of the present complex of buildings probably dates from this period. The house on the NE dates from 1857 and that on the SE from 1883. An early reflecting mechanism from the lighthouse is preserved in Campbeltown Museum.
RCAHMS 1971.
