Portland Breakwater Lighthouse, Dorset

Portland Breakwater Lighthouse
The Portland Breakwater Lighthouse in 2017
Map
LocationIsle of Portland
Dorset
England
Coordinates50°35′09.4″N 02°25′04.3″W / 50.585944°N 2.417861°W / 50.585944; -2.417861
Tower
Constructed1905
Constructioncast iron skeletal tower
Height22 m (72 ft)
Shapehexagonal pyramidal tower with central cylinder, balcony and lantern
Markingswhite tower and lantern
OperatorPortland Harbour Authority[1]
Light
Focal height22 m (72 ft)
Range10 nmi (19 km; 12 mi) Edit this on Wikidata
CharacteristicFl W 10s.

The Portland Breakwater Lighthouse is a functioning lighthouse located at Portland Harbour, Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is situated on the southern end of the north-east breakwater.[2]

The lighthouse, a white hexagonal cast-iron structure, was established in 1905.[3][4] Built by Chance Brothers,[5] initially it displayed a white flash every five seconds and had a visible range of 14 nmi (26 km; 16 mi).[6] It was also provided with a fog bell, sounding once every ten seconds in foggy weather.

The light was originally lit by oil, later changed to gas and is today lit electrically with a modern LED lamp.[7][8] The light was owned by the Admiralty, but managed by Trinity House (who, until the light was automated in the late 1960s, provided three resident keepers accommodated in a nearby dwelling on the breakwater).[5]

The lighthouse was restored and repainted in 1995, prior to the closure of Portland Naval Base; subsequently, ownership of the lighthouse (along with the harbour as a whole) was vested in Portland Port Ltd, and the Portland Harbour Authority took over its management.[5]

The lighthouse underwent restoration again in 2016.[9] The lighthouse's current use continues to aid navigation of boats in the area, warning mariners of the breakwaters by giving a white flash every 10 seconds.[4] Surrounding the lighthouse are various defensive buildings such as pillboxes.[10]

The former optic from the lighthouse has been placed in Weymouth Museum.[5]

  1. ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Southern England". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  2. ^ Breakwater Fort. "Dorset - History - Breakwater Fort". BBC. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  3. ^ Scribbles. "Dorset Maritime History". Pbenyon.plus.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Foghorn Publishing ... Lighthouse Explorer Database ... Portland Breakwater Light (England)". Lighthousedigest.com. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d "Portland Breakwater Lighthouse". The Encyclopaedia of Portland History. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  6. ^ London Gazette, Issue 27778, Page 2286, 24 March 1905
  7. ^ "SDRS Catswhisker Contents - South Dorset Amateur Radio". Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  8. ^ "Powered by Google Docs". Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  9. ^ "Déjà vu at spruce-up job on naval dockyard lighthouse". 25 April 2017.
  10. ^ "Eastern Breakwater Portland Harbour:: OS grid SY7076 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland - photograph every grid square!". Geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 21 November 2012.