Portishead Point Lighthouse
Location | Portishead Somerset England |
---|---|
Coordinates | 51°29′41″N 2°46′25″W / 51.494626°N 2.773586°W |
Tower | |
Constructed | 1931 |
Foundation | concrete base |
Construction | metal skeletal tower |
Height | 9 metres (30 ft) |
Shape | square pyramidal tower enclosed with balcony and light |
Markings | black tower, white basement |
Operator | Bristol Port Company[1] |
Light | |
Focal height | 9 metres (30 ft) |
Lens | 4th-order dioptric[2] |
Range | 16 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.
History
[edit]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]
Gallery
[edit]-
Close-up of the lighthouse.
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Irene sailing past Portishead Point.
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The bell, displayed on Wyndham Way.
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The lighthouse
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Western England". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ^ a b c Cooper, F. W. (1979). Twenty Years in Lighthouses (PDF). United States Lighthouse Society. pp. 100–101. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
- ^ "Progress in Illuminating Engineering". The Illuminating Engineer (The Journal of Good Lighting). 24: 307. December 1931.
- ^ "Portishead Point Lighthouse". Worldwide lighthouses. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Old lighthouse bell hasn't tolled yet for town". This is Bristol. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Portishead Point A5484 – Bristol Channel, UK". The Lighthouse Duo. Archived from the original on 9 September 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
- ^ "Notice to marners (No 32 of 2012) Portishead light refurbishment". The BRistol Port Company. Retrieved 23 September 2012.[permanent dead link ]
External links
[edit]- Portishead Point Lighthouse in Lighthouse Digest's Lighthouse Explorer Database