Blacknore Point Lighthouse | |
  Somerset | |
| Location | Portishead Somerset England |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°29′05″N2°48′02″W / 51.484719°N 2.800655°W Coordinates: 51°29′05″N2°48′02″W / 51.484719°N 2.800655°W |
| Year first constructed | 1894 |
| Automated | 1941 |
| Deactivated | 2010 |
| Construction | cast iron skeletal tower |
| Tower shape | tapered cylindrical skeletal tower with observation room, balcony and lantern |
| Markings / pattern | white tower and lantern |
| Height | 11 metres (36 ft) |
| Current lens | fourth-order 250 mm biform |
| Range | 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl (2) W 10 s. |
| Admiralty number | A5482 |
| NGA number | 6148 |
| ARLHS number | ENG-012 |
| Managing agent | Blacknore Lighthouse Trust [1] |
Black Nore lighthouse at Portishead, Somerset, England, was built in 1894. [2] It is a Grade II listed building. [3]
Portishead is a coastal town on the Severn Estuary, close to Bristol, but within the unitary authority of North Somerset, which falls within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It has a population of around 25,000, with a growth rate considerably in excess of surrounding towns.
A listed building, or listed structure, is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, Cadw in Wales, and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency in Northern Ireland.
The metal white-painted lighthouse [4] was built by Trinity House to guide shipping in the Severn Estuary as it made its way in and out of Bristol Harbour. Before it was decommissioned on 27 September 2010 the lens, a fourth-order 250 mm biform lens, flashed twice every ten seconds. [5]
The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond, known as Trinity House, is a private corporation governed under a Royal Charter.
The Severn Estuary is the estuary of the River Severn, the longest river in Great Britain. It is the confluence of four major rivers, being the Severn, Wye, Usk and Avon, and other smaller rivers. Its high tidal range, approximately 50 feet (15 m), means that it has been at the centre of discussions in the UK regarding renewable energy.
Bristol Harbour is the harbour in the city of Bristol, England. The harbour covers an area of 70 acres (28.3 ha). It has existed since the 13th century but was developed into its current form in the early 19th century by installing lock gates on a tidal stretch of the River Avon in the centre of the city and providing a tidal by-pass for the river. It is often called the Floating Harbour as the water level remains constant and it is not affected by the state of the tide on the river.
The drive mechanism was wound daily by the Ashford Family on whose land it was built. It was electrified in World War II. In 2000 the winding and drive mechanisms were replaced by electric motors. [6]
World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of the world's countries—including all the great powers—eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. A state of total war emerged, directly involving more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. The major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, marked by 50 to 85 million fatalities, most of whom were civilians in the Soviet Union and China. It included massacres, the genocide of the Holocaust, strategic bombing, premeditated death from starvation and disease, and the only use of nuclear weapons in war.
In October 2011, after it was no longer needed for navigational purposes, it was sold to a trust for preservation at a cost of £1. [7]
