Location | Sumburgh Head Shetland Scotland |
---|---|
OS grid | HU4072307872 |
Coordinates | 59°51′15″N1°16′29″W / 59.854053°N 1.274585°W |
Tower | |
Constructed | 1821 |
Built by | Robert Stevenson |
Construction | Masonry tower |
Automated | 1991 |
Height | 17 metres (56 ft) |
Shape | Cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern |
Markings | White tower, black lantern, ochre trim |
Operator | Sumburgh Head Lighthouse [1] [2] |
Heritage | category A listed building |
Light | |
Focal height | 91 metres (299 ft) |
Range | 23 nautical miles (43 km; 26 mi) |
Characteristic | Fl (3) W 30s. |
Sumburgh Head Lighthouse is a lighthouse on Sumburgh Head at the southern tip of the Mainland of Shetland.
The lighthouse was built by Robert Stevenson in 1821 and is the oldest lighthouse in Shetland. [1] From 1906 until 1987, there was also an active foghorn, [2] which was originally traversable in azimuth. This replaced the fog bell, which had been presented after the loss of the Royal Victoria in 1864. The bell now hangs in the parish church at Dunrossness. [2] The light was automated in 1991 and the keepers' houses were converted into holiday accommodation. The foghorn was restored in 2015 and sounds on special occasions. [3] [4] The lighthouse complex also has offices for the RSPB who look after the bird reserve which surrounds the lighthouse.
The Northern Lighthouse Board operate the light, whilst the Shetland Amenity Trust own the site and restored the lighthouse facilities and built a visitor centre which opened in 2014. [1] The lighthouse is protected as a category A listed building. [5]
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Robert Stevenson, FRSE, FGS, FRAS, FSA Scot, MWS was a Scottish civil engineer, and designer and builder of lighthouses. His works include the Bell Rock Lighthouse.
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Sumburgh Head is a headland located at the southern tip of the main island of the Shetland Archipelago, in northern Scotland. The head consists of a 100 m high rocky spur and topped by the Sumburgh Head Lighthouse. In the Old Norse language, Sumburgh Head was called Dunrøstar høfdi, it means "The Head onto the loud tide-race", referring to the noise of Sumburgh Roost. Robert Stevenson was the engineer in charge of building the Sumburgh Head lighthouse. Work started on the building in 1819, and the light was first lit in 1821.
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Ardnamurchan Lighthouse is a listed 19th century lighthouse, located on Ardnamurchan Point in Lochaber part of the Highland council area of Scotland. The lighthouse with its 36-metre-tall (118 ft), pink granite tower was completed in 1849 to a design by Alan Stevenson. It is the only lighthouse in the UK built in the Egyptian style. Mains electricity was installed in 1976, the light was automated in 1988 and is now operated remotely by the Northern Lighthouse Board from Edinburgh.
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