Maryport Lighthouse

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Maryport Lighthouse is a small lighthouse located in Maryport, Cumbria, England and ran by the UK's General Lighthouse Authority, Trinity House. The original Maryport lighthouse was built in 1796, and was running on acetylene by 1946. Trinity House took charge of it in 1961.[1]

In 1996 a new tower was built from aluminium and the lighthouse was connected to mains electricity. Prior to this it has been the UK's oldest iron lighthouse.[2] At 4.7 metres tall and with a light intensity of only 120 candelas the new house is one of Trinity Houses smaller towers but the light can be seen 6 nautical miles out to sea. The painter L.S. Lowry used Maryport and the lighthouse in several of his paintings.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ The official Trinity House page
  2. ^ A page containing interesting facts about lighthouses worldwide
  3. ^ A history of Maryport