Sule Skerry Lighthouse
| Sule Skerry Lighthouse | ||
|---|---|---|
.jpg) |
||
| Place: | Sule Skerry | |
| Location: | Orkney , Scotland , United Kingdom | |
| Geographical location: | 59 ° 5 '5 " N , 4 ° 24' 26.4" W | |
|
||
| Construction time: | 1892-1894 | |
| Operating time: | since 1895 | |
The Sule Skerry Lighthouse , German Sule Skerry lighthouse , is a lighthouse on the Scottish Orkney island of Sule Skerry . In 1971 the lighthouse was included in the Scottish List of Monuments in the highest category A.
history
The Sule Skerry Lighthouse was built between 1892 and 1894. The brothers Charles Alexander and David Alan Stevenson were entrusted with the planning and execution of the work as engineers . The relatively long construction period is due to the unfavorable weather conditions, which only allowed construction work during the summer months. After the tower was completed in 1893, the interior work could continue in 1894. The construction of the optical equipment and the commissioning took place in 1895. A prism construction developed by Charles Stevenson was installed, which promised less light loss and scattering. In fact, the light signal was observed at Cape Wrath 35 miles away.
In 1929, Sule Skerry and Kinnaird Head were the first Scottish lighthouses to be equipped with radio beacons . Signals were sent out every half hour or continuously in bad weather. On February 5, 1942, the lighthouse was exposed to an air raid. The three bombs dropped exploded near the tower, but did little damage. In 1944, a flooded sea mine exploded . After the supply of the lighthouse keepers by ship in rough waters was often a problem, a helicopter took over this task from 1973. In December 1982 the lighthouse was finally automated.
description
The Sule Skerry lighthouse is the furthest from the mainland in Great Britain. It is located on the small island of Sule Skerry about 55 km west of Mainland , Orkney and north of Dunnet Head . The five-story, round tower rises 27 m in height. It has an exceptionally wide lantern (4.9 m instead of the usual 3.7 m), which is due to Stevenson's prismatic optics. The masonry is made of brick and is painted on the outside. The entrance door is on the first floor; one window per floor is installed above it.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ a b c Information from the Northern Lighthouse Board
Web links
- Northern Lighthouse Board information
- Entry on Sule Skerry Lighthouse in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland's database