Portishead Point Lighthouse

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Portishead Point Lighthouse
Battery Point
Portishead Lighthouse.jpg
Portishead Point Lighthouse also known as Battery Point Lighthouse
Portishead Point Lighthouse
Location Portishead
Somerset
England
Coordinates 51°29′41″N2°46′25″W / 51.494626°N 2.773586°W / 51.494626; -2.773586
Tower
Constructed1931
Foundationconcrete base
Constructionmetal skeletal tower
Height9 metres (30 ft)
Shapesquare pyramidal tower enclosed with balcony and light
Markingsblack tower, white basement
OperatorBristol Port Company [1]
Light
Focal height9 metres (30 ft)
Lens 4th-order dioptric [2]
Range16 nautical miles (30 km; 18 mi)
Characteristic Q (3) W 10s.

Portishead Point Lighthouse, more commonly known as Battery Point Lighthouse, was built in Portishead, Somerset, England, in 1931.

Contents

History

The 9-metre-high (30 ft) lighthouse was built as an unwatched automatic light by the Chance Brothers of Smethwick at Battery Point in 1931. [3] It consists of a black metal pyramid on a concrete base. [4]

Initially, it had been intended to provide Portishead Point with a diaphone fog signal. However, in response to local unrest at the prospect, the decision was taken to commission a fog bell instead. [2] Gillett & Johnston of Croydon cast the two-tonne bell was cast by in 1938 [5] and installed it the following year. [2] Due to structural concerns, the bell was removed in 1998; later, following public campaigning for restoration, the bell was acquired by Portishead Town Council and returned to the town in 2012. [6] It is installed on Wyndham Way, close to the High Street. [7]

The lighthouse is maintained by the Bristol Port Company. [8] The light was refurbished in 2012. [9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Western England". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill . Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Cooper, F. W. (1979). Twenty Years in Lighthouses (PDF). United States Lighthouse Society. pp. 100–101. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  3. ↑ "Progress in Illuminating Engineering". The Illuminating Engineer (The Journal of Good Lighting). 24: 307. December 1931.
  4. ↑ "Portishead Point Lighthouse". Worldwide lighthouses. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  5. ↑ "Battery Point Lighthouse" (PDF). Portishead and North Weston Town Council Newsletter. September 2010. Archived from the original on 8 June 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  6. ↑ "Old lighthouse bell hasn't tolled yet for town". This is Bristol. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  7. ↑ Fowler, Tracey (17 April 2012). "Lighthouse bell to return home". Weston, Worle and Somerset Mercury. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  8. ↑ "Portishead Point A5484 – Bristol Channel, UK". The Lighthouse Duo. Archived from the original on 9 September 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
  9. ↑ "Notice to marners (No 32 of 2012) Portishead light refurbishment". The Bristol Port Company. Retrieved 23 September 2012.[ permanent dead link ]


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