About Lizard Lighthouse

The distinctive twin towers of the Lizard Lighthouse mark the most southerly point of mainland Britain. The coastline is particularly hazardous, and from early times the need for a beacon was obvious.

Sir John Killigrew, a philanthropic Cornishman, applied for a patent. Apparently, because it was thought that a light on Lizard Point would guide enemy vessels and pirates to a safe landing, the patent was granted with the proviso that the light should be extinguished at the approach of the enemy. Killigrew agreed to erect the lighthouse at his own expense, for a rent of "twenty nobles by the year", for a term of thirty years.

Although he was willing to build the tower, he was too poor to bear the cost of maintenance, and intended to fund the project by collecting from ships that passed the point any voluntary contributions that the owners might offer him. In spite of the difficulty of recruiting local labour, the tower was finished by Christmas 1619, and proved a great benefit to mariners. However, the shipowners offered nothing for its upkeep, and the mounting costs of maintenance were bankrupting Killigrew. Thus, in the face of more opposition from Trinity House, James I set a fee of one halfpenny a ton on all vessels passing the light. This caused such an uproar from the shipowners that the patent was withdrawn, the light extinguished and the tower demolished.

Applications were made in ensuing years, but it was not until 1748 that Trinity House supported an attempt by Thomas Fonnereau to erect a lighthouse. The building was completed in 1751, and consisted of two towers, with a cottage built between them, in which an overlooker lay on a sort of couch, with a window on either side commanding a view of the lanterns. When the bellows-blowers relaxed their efforts and the fires dimmed, he would remind them of their duties by a blast from a cow horn. Trinity House assumed responsibility in 1771.

The Lizard played an important role in the history of modern communications. Marconi's famous wireless experiments took place on The Lizard in 1901, and are celebrated at the restored Lizard Wireless Station, Bass Point, and the Marconi Centre at Poldhu.

The Lizard Lighthouse was electrified in 1924 and automated in 1998. The 800,000 Candelas light is visible for 28 nautical miles.Visitors can ascend 70 metres to the top of the lighthouse tower from where there are breathtaking views. Today The Lizard is a turning point for one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. The coastline on either side of the lighthouse offers dramatic cliff walks and boasts an abundance of rare wild flowers and fascinating geological features.