Dreswick Point facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dreswick Point |
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 Aerial view of the point and lighthouse |
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 Dreswick Point
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| Crown dependency | Isle of Man |
Dreswick Point is the very bottom tip of the main Isle of Man island. You can find it on the Langness Peninsula in the southeast. It's about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) away from Castletown.
Discovering Langness Lighthouse
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| Langness Lighthouse in 2007 | |
| Location | Dreswick Point, Langness Peninsula Isle of Man |
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| Coordinates | 54°03′18″N 4°37′30″W / 54.054878°N 4.625078°W |
| Year first constructed | 1880 |
| Automated | 1996 |
| Construction | masonry tower |
| Tower shape | cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern |
| Markings / pattern | white tower, black lantern |
| Height | 19 metres (62 ft) |
| Focal height | 23 metres (75 ft) |
| Current lens | twin 300 mm lens |
| Characteristic | Fl (2) W 30s. |
| Admiralty number | A4762 |
| NGA number | 4984 |
| ARLHS number | IOM-009 |
The Langness Lighthouse was built in 1880. Its main job was to help guide boats safely into Castletown harbor. This lighthouse is also a special 'Registered Building'. This means it's important to the island's history and protected.
The houses next to the lighthouse used to belong to a famous TV car journalist, Jeremy Clarkson. He even showed the lighthouse on his TV show, Top Gear. Before the lighthouse, there was something called the Herring Tower. It had a bright flare to guide fishing boats.
The Mystery of the Potato Grave
Near the lighthouse, you can find a small, grass-covered hill. People call it the "Potato Grave." In 1832, a sad event happened here. A ship was bringing workers from Ireland to the Isle of Man. These workers were coming to help dig up potatoes.
Sadly, the ship was lost at sea, and everyone on board died. Over the next few days, the bodies of the people who drowned washed ashore. Back then, it was common to bury bodies found on the shore right where they were found.
So, a communal grave was dug for all 32 people. They were buried together in this one spot. There isn't a stone or marker to show where they rest. Their only memorial is the simple, grass-covered mound you see today.
