Pentland Skerries Lighthouse
| Pentland Skerries Lighthouse | ||
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| Place: | Muckle Skerry | |
| Location: | Orkney , Scotland , United Kingdom | |
| Geographical location: | 58 ° 41 '24.7 " N , 2 ° 55' 29" W | |
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| Construction time: | 1794 | |
| Operating time: | since 1794 | |
The Pentland Skerries Lighthouse , German Pentland Skerries Lighthouse , also Muckle Skerry Lighthouse , is a lighthouse on the Scottish Orkney island of Muckle Skerry . In 1971 the lighthouse was included in the Scottish monument lists, initially in category B. The upgrade to the highest category A took place in 1998.
history
The lighthouse was built in 1794 and commissioned the same year. The aim was to make the Pentland Firth more attractive for shipping and thus avoid the wide arc around the Orkney Islands. As a designer, Thomas Smith was responsible for the planning. As with the construction of the Dennis Head Beacon, he was assisted by his stepson Robert Stevenson , the founder of the later famous lighthouse building family. Between 1821 and 1830 the complex, which consists of two towers of different heights, was redesigned. In 1870 tests were carried out with paraffin , which was finally used as fuel in regular operations.
In 1895 the lower of the two towers was switched off and in 1909 a fog horn was installed. As part of an air raid in 1941, machine gun salvos were fired at the lighthouse, which, however, caused only minor damage. In 1964 the Käthe Niederkirchner ran aground off Muckle Skerry. The lighthouse keepers participated in the rescue of the passengers. After the Pentland Skerries Lighthouse was supplied by ship until 1972, a helicopter took over this task until automation in 1994.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ a b Information from the Northern Lighthouse Board
- ↑ a b Entry on Pentland Skerries Lighthouse in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
Web links
- Information from the Northern Lighthouse Board
- Entry on Pentland Skerries Lighthouse in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland's database