Portland Bill Lighthouse Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Portland Bill Lighthouse
Location	Portland Bill Isle of Portland Dorset England
Coordinates	50°30′51″N 2°27′23″W / 50.514155°N 2.456383°W / 50.514155; -2.456383
Year first constructed	1903-05
Year first lit	1906
Automated	1996
Construction	sandstone tower
Tower shape	tapered cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markings / pattern	white tower with a red horizontal band, white lantern
Height	41 metres (135 ft)
Focal height	43 metres (141 ft)
Original lens	1st order catadioptric rotating (original), LED lantern (current)
Range	18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi)
Characteristic	Fl (4) W 20s.

The Portland Bill Lighthouse is a working lighthouse located at Portland Bill. This is a famous spot on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. The lighthouse and its surrounding walls are special because they are listed as a Grade II building. This means they are important and protected.

This lighthouse is the biggest and newest one at Portland Bill. It stands tall at 41 metres (135 ft) (about 135 feet). It has bright white and red stripes, making it easy to spot. The lighthouse was finished in 1905 and first shone its light on January 11, 1906. Its main job is to guide ships safely through the tricky waters around Portland Bill. It also helps ships find their way when sailing through the English Channel.

History of the Lighthouse
The Lighthouse Today
- Visiting the Lighthouse
Gallery
See also

History of the Lighthouse

Portland Bill Lighthouse at dawn with Trinity House Landmark nearby

Before the current lighthouse, there were two older lighthouses. These were called the Old Higher Lighthouse and Old Lower Lighthouse. They worked together like a pair of "leading lights." This meant they helped ships navigate safely between the strong currents of Portland Race and a sandy area called The Shambles. These first lighthouses were built in 1716 and rebuilt in 1869. They stopped working when the new lighthouse was completed.

Around the year 1900, Trinity House, the group that manages lighthouses, decided to build a new one. They bought the land needed for the lighthouse in 1903. Builders started working on the foundations in October 1903. A company called Chance & Co. made and installed the special light.

The original light used a powerful paraffin lamp. This lamp was placed inside a large, spinning lens system. This lens, called a Fresnel lens, weighed 3.5 tons. It helped make the light very bright and focused. The lighthouse was finished in 1905 and cost about £13,000. Its light first shone on January 11, 1906. A special red light also shone from a lower window. This red light warned ships about The Shambles sandbank. The lighthouse's light was updated to use electricity in the mid-1950s.

Inside view of the lamp and lenses in 2017.

In 1940, a fog signal was added to the lighthouse. This signal, called a diaphone, made a loud, deep sound. It helped ships find their way when it was foggy. The sound came from a window part-way up the tower. It made a 3.5-second blast every 30 seconds. This sound could be heard up to 7 nmi (13 km; 8.1 mi) away. The diaphone was used regularly until 1995. Then, a new electric fog signal replaced it. This was done to prepare the lighthouse for automation.

On March 18, 1996, the Portland Bill Lighthouse became automated. This meant that lighthouse keepers no longer lived there. All monitoring and control moved to a center in Harwich. The old diaphone fog signal was turned off in 1996. However, in 2003, Trinity House brought it back for visitors to hear. It would sound for half an hour on Sunday mornings until 2017.

In the early 2000s, the lighthouse still used its original spinning lens system from 1906. It flashed four times every 20 seconds. This light was very bright and could be seen up to 25 nautical miles away. The fog signal would sound for four seconds every 30 seconds during bad weather.

In late 2018, Trinity House decided to modernize the lighthouse. They planned to remove the old lamp and lens from the top. The old lens was moved to the base of the tower. This change meant removing the historic diaphone fog signal equipment.

The Lighthouse Today

In 2019 and 2020, a new, modern LED light was installed at the top of the lighthouse. This new light does not spin. A new fog signal was also added outside the lantern room. The new LED lights have a range of 18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi).

Visiting the Lighthouse

The Portland Bill Lighthouse is a popular place to visit. You can take tours inside the lighthouse. There is also a visitor center in the old lighthouse keeper's building. The original center closed in 2013, but a new one opened in 2015. Tours usually last about 45 minutes. Visitors can climb the 153 steps to the very top of the lighthouse.