Caldey Lighthouse
Encyclopedia
Caldey Lighthouse is located on the south end of Caldey Island
, three miles (5 km) off the south Pembrokeshire
, Wales coastline, a small island inhabited by a Cistercian monastery.
was made in March 1827 on behalf of traders in Carmarthen Bay
. It was commissioned by Trinity House
and built by Joseph Nelson at a cost of £4,460. The light was first lit in 1829.
The Lighthouse is a squat, round, brick-lined limestone
tower
of 17.07m (56ft), with walls 0.91m (3ft) thick at the base and 2 in 6 in (0.762 m) thick at the top. The light stands 64m (210ft) above high-water mark. It acts in conjunction with the lundy north lightouse to the south, and has a range of 13 nautical miles (24.1 km). Lundy
was fitted around the middle of the nineteenth century and consisted of 20 Argand lamp
s and reflectors, subsequently replaced by a helical lantern later in the nineteenth century.
The Lighthouse was converted to automatic operations in 1929. It was the last Trinity House lighthouse to be powered by gas, eventually being converted to electricity in 1997.
The light was intended to help coastal traffic trading limestone and coal to mid and north Wales
but the light also helped long-distance and north American
traffic identify the Bristol Channel
and avoid confusion with the English Channel
.
s cottages, that flank the Lighthouse, are two-storey, with hipped roofs, octagonal chimneys, and a one-storey linking corridor. This forms a ‘U’-shape, with the Lighthouse at the centre of the south side, and enclosed gardens to the north. The cottages were built around 1868-70 by T. C. Harvey, C.E.
holds a wash-drawing of the Lighthouse under construction by Charles Norris.
Caldey Island
Caldey Island lies south of Tenby in Pembrokeshire, Wales.The island is home to a small village, but is best known for its monastery. Caldey Island is separated from the mainland by the Caldey Sound which is 1 km to 2 km wide between Caldey Island and the coast of Pembrokeshire...
, three miles (5 km) off the south Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
, Wales coastline, a small island inhabited by a Cistercian monastery.
Construction and dimensions
An application to build the LighthouseLighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
was made in March 1827 on behalf of traders in Carmarthen Bay
Carmarthen Bay
Carmarthen Bay is an inlet of the south Wales coast. The coastline includes famous beaches, including the Pendine Sands and Cefn Sidan sands, and is partially covered by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park....
. It was commissioned by Trinity House
Trinity House
The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond is the official General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales and other British territorial waters...
and built by Joseph Nelson at a cost of £4,460. The light was first lit in 1829.
The Lighthouse is a squat, round, brick-lined limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
tower
Tower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
of 17.07m (56ft), with walls 0.91m (3ft) thick at the base and 2 in 6 in (0.762 m) thick at the top. The light stands 64m (210ft) above high-water mark. It acts in conjunction with the lundy north lightouse to the south, and has a range of 13 nautical miles (24.1 km). Lundy
Lundy
Lundy is the largest island in the Bristol Channel, lying off the coast of Devon, England, approximately one third of the distance across the channel between England and Wales. It measures about at its widest. Lundy gives its name to a British sea area and is one of the islands of England.As of...
Lantern and lamp
The present lanternLantern
A lantern is a portable lighting device or mounted light fixture used to illuminate broad areas. Lanterns may also be used for signaling, as 'torches', or as general light sources outdoors . Low light level varieties are used for decoration. The term "lantern" is also used more generically to...
was fitted around the middle of the nineteenth century and consisted of 20 Argand lamp
Argand lamp
The Argand lamp is home lighting oil lamp producing a light output of 6 to 10 candlepower which was invented and patented in 1780 by Aimé Argand...
s and reflectors, subsequently replaced by a helical lantern later in the nineteenth century.
The Lighthouse was converted to automatic operations in 1929. It was the last Trinity House lighthouse to be powered by gas, eventually being converted to electricity in 1997.
The light was intended to help coastal traffic trading limestone and coal to mid and north Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
but the light also helped long-distance and north American
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
traffic identify the Bristol Channel
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
and avoid confusion with the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
.
Keeper's cottages
The lighthouse keeperLighthouse keeper
A lighthouse keeper is the person responsible for tending and caring for a lighthouse, particularly the light and lens in the days when oil lamps and clockwork mechanisms were used. Keepers were needed to trim the wicks, replenish fuel, wind clockworks and perform maintenance tasks such as cleaning...
s cottages, that flank the Lighthouse, are two-storey, with hipped roofs, octagonal chimneys, and a one-storey linking corridor. This forms a ‘U’-shape, with the Lighthouse at the centre of the south side, and enclosed gardens to the north. The cottages were built around 1868-70 by T. C. Harvey, C.E.
In art
Cardiff Central LibraryCardiff Central Library
Cardiff Central Library , is the main library in the city centre of Cardiff, Wales. Four buildings have been named as such, with the newest building opening on 14 March 2009 and officially being opened a few months later on 18 June 2009 by the Manic Street Preachers...
holds a wash-drawing of the Lighthouse under construction by Charles Norris.
See also
- Trinity HouseTrinity HouseThe Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond is the official General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales and other British territorial waters...