Lundy Island lies in the Bristol Channel, about 18 km (11 miles) off the coast of North Devon. Three miles long and half a mile wide, this granite outcrop rises 122 m (400 ft) above sea level and is a place of outstanding natural beauty, with tremendous views of England, Wales and the Atlantic. There are three lighthouses - two in use - a castle, church, shop, tavern, working farm, several handsome houses and cottages and a population of about eighteen. It is a rugged mass of dark granite, surrounded by reefs of sharp rocks that make an approach to the island difficult.
In 1819 Trinity House proposed the erection of a lighthouse on the rocky summit of Chapel Hill. The builder was Joseph Nelson, the engineer was Daniel Alexander who was architect of Dartmoor Prison, with James Turnbull as Superintendent of Works. The granite tower was 96 feet high with the keepers houses adjoining, the cost being £10,277. Two lights were shown from the tower; the lower was a fixed white light; the upper was a white quick flashing light, every sixty seconds. This was an innovation in lighthouse optics. However, the light revolved so quickly that no period of darkness was detectable between the flashes so in effect this also appeared as a fixed light. They were shown from elevations of 508' and 538' respectively and from 8 km (5 miles) away the two lights merged into one.
It was this appearance of being a fixed light that contributed to a disaster in November 1828. The ship La Jeune Emma travelling from Martinique to Cherbourg arrived in Carmarthen Bay in thick fog and mistook the Lundy lights for the fixed light of Ushant and went onto the rocks. Of the nineteen people on board thirteen were lost including a niece of the Empress Josephine. The lighthouse was abandoned in 1897 due to the continual complaints that the light was completely lost in fog. It is now holiday accommodation
Two new lighthouses were built on the North and South extremities of the island. The South Lighthouse is a compact station with a white circular tower. It was automated and converted to solar power in 1994. The North Lighthouse is set on a narrow plateau, where on the cliffs large colonies of guillemots, razor bills and herring gulls make their nests, while on the rocks below Atlantic seals take refuge. The light was produced from a 75mm petroleum vapour burner until 1971 when electricity was installed. The North Station was automated in 1985 and modernised in 1991 when it was converted to solar power with a new proprietary lantern manufactured by Orga installed on the disused fog signal building.
Both of the functioning Lundy Lighthouses are now monitored and controlled via telemetry link from the Trinity House Central Planning Unit at Harwich in Essex.
By Boat & On Foot: Access to Lundy is in summer by boat from Bideford and Ilfracombe. From November to March it is accessible by helicopter from Hartland Point. The Old Lighthouse is approached up a track in the south western part of the island. The North and South lights may be seen at either end of the island.
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Landmark Trust - Lundy Island
