Inchcape facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Inchcape |
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 Location in Scotland
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| Location | Scotland, UK |
| Coordinates | 56°26.052′N 2°23.236′W / 56.434200°N 2.387267°W |
Inchcape, also known as the Bell Rock, is a famous reef located about 11 miles off the east coast of Angus, Scotland. It is found near the cities of Dundee and Fife. This reef is home to the historic Bell Rock Lighthouse. It is one of the oldest working lighthouses in the world.
The name Inchcape comes from the Scottish Gaelic language. It means "Beehive isle." People might have thought the reef looked like an old-style beehive. The other name, Bell Rock, comes from a legend. Long ago, an Abbot of Arbroath (a type of monk) tried to put a warning bell on the reef. This bell would ring to warn ships away from the dangerous rocks. But a pirate supposedly stole the bell. The legend says the pirate later crashed on the very same rocks. This story is told in a famous poem called "The Inchcape Rock" by Robert Southey.
The main danger of the Inchcape reef is that only a small part of it is above the water. However, a large area around it is very shallow. This makes it extremely dangerous for ships. The story of the Bell Rock Lighthouse's building was shown in a BBC TV episode. It was part of the series Seven Wonders of the Industrial World. Work on the lighthouse began in 1807 and finished mostly by 1810.
What Is Inchcape Made Of?
Inchcape is formed from a type of rock called the Old Red Sandstone. This same rock can be seen in the nearby coastal areas. Arbroath Abbey is also built from this kind of stone.
Size and Shape of the Reef
The main part of the rock is about 427 feet long. It is also about 230 feet wide. However, the southwestern part of the reef stretches out even further. It extends for another 1000 feet.
Robert Stevenson was the engineer who designed the lighthouse. He said that the most dangerous part of the Bell Rock for ships was about 1427 feet long. Its widest part was about 300 feet across.
