Start Point Lighthouse facts for kids

The Start Point Lighthouse is a famous lighthouse located at Start Point, Devon, in England. It was built way back in 1836 to help guide ships safely past the coast. Today, Trinity House owns and runs the lighthouse. You can even visit it during the summer! It's also recognized as a special historic building by English Heritage.

History of the Lighthouse

Building the Lighthouse

The Start Point Lighthouse was designed by a clever engineer named James Walker. He designed many lighthouses, and this was one of them. The lighthouse looks like it's from a fairy tale, built in a style called Gothic. It has a cool, castle-like top with a crenellated edge.

The main tower is made of strong granite stone. It's painted white and has a black, tarred base. The top part, where the light shines, is made of cast-iron and has a copper roof. This tall, round tower stands about 28 meters (92 feet) high. It has a wide base and gets a bit narrower as it goes up.

There are two entrances, one on the north side and one on the south. The south entrance is now closed. Inside, there's a beautiful granite staircase that winds up the tower. It has an iron railing, making it safe to climb.

Homes for the Keepers

When the lighthouse was first built, the keepers lived inside the tower. Their homes were on the ground and first floors. But in 1871, new houses were built for them. These homes were on either side of the lighthouse.

Later, in 1882, another cottage was built nearby. All these homes were designed by James Douglass. The two houses next to the lighthouse were rebuilt in the 1950s. In the past, lighthouse keepers could only reach the lighthouse by boat. They also used other small buildings nearby, like a well-house.

How the Light Works

The lighthouse's original light system was very advanced for its time. It used eight large Fresnel lenses that spun around. These lenses helped make the light very bright and focused. This was the first time Trinity House used this type of lens system. It was based on ideas from Augustin Fresnel and improved by Alan Stevenson.

In 1873, a new, more powerful light was installed. This new system was also designed by James Douglass. It had a six-sided lens that spun, making the light even stronger. Similar powerful lights were also put in other lighthouses around the world.

Besides the main light, there was also a smaller, fixed red light. This red light shone from a window in the tower. Its job was to warn ships about the dangerous Skerries Bank. At first, this light was white, but it was later changed to red.

Modernizing the Light

For many years, the lighthouse used oil to power its light. But in 1959, it was updated to use electricity. At the same time, the main lens was replaced with a smaller, more modern one. This new lens made the light flash in a special pattern.

In 1992, work began to make the Start Point Lighthouse automatic. This meant that keepers no longer needed to live there all the time. The work was finished in early 1993. After it became automatic, one of the keepers' cottages was taken down because it had been damaged. Now, the lighthouse is watched and controlled from a special center in Harwich, Essex.

In 2018, the spinning lens that had been used since 1959 was replaced. A new, modern LED light system was put in its place. The old lens is now on display at the visitor center nearby.

The Foghorn

Sometimes, the light alone isn't enough to guide ships, especially in thick fog. So, in 1862, a bell was added to the lighthouse. It rang 48 times every minute! The machinery for the bell was in a small building on the cliff.

In 1877, a loud siren replaced the bell. The old bell was moved to the lighthouse at Plymouth Breakwater, where it still is today. The siren was in a round building near the lighthouse. It would blast once every three minutes. This siren could even be turned to face the direction of the wind.

The fog signal was made even better in 1883. A new, two-tone siren was installed. It would sound three times every three minutes: high, then low, then high. Around the year 1900, new equipment was added, including two copper trumpets for the sound.

In 1928, an even more powerful siren was installed. It had two large horns on the roof of the building. Diesel engines were used to power the air compressors for the siren.

Sadly, in 1989, the building holding the fog signal collapsed due to the coast eroding. A lot of the area had to be rebuilt. Now, an electric fog signal is on the lighthouse balcony. When needed, the foghorn sounds once every 60 seconds.

Gallery

• 

  The lighthouse complex

• 

  The lighthouse seen from the land

• 

  A close-up of the stone building

• 

  The lens that makes the light

• 

  Seen from the South West Coast Path

See also

• List of lighthouses in England