Inchcape or the Bell Rock is a notorious reef off the east coast of Angus, Scotland, near Dundee and Fife (). Bell Rock Lighthouse, an automatic lighthouse, occupies the reef. The construction of the Lighthouse began in 1807 and was largely finished in 1810.
Both its names probably refer to its distinctive shape, Inchcape coming from Scottish Gaelic Innis Sgeip, meaning "Beehive isle", probably referring to the old-style rope beehives. The main problem with the reef is that a relatively small proportion of it is above water, but that a large section of the surrounding area is extremely shallow and dangerous.
The rock was featured in a one hour episode of BBC's Seven Wonders of the Industrial World which told the story of the Bell Rock Lighthouse's construction.
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According to legend, probably folk etymology, the rock is called Bell Rock because of a 14th century attempt by the abbot from Arbroath ("Aberbrothock") to install a warning bell on it. It was removed by a Dutch pirate who then perished a year later on the same rocks. This story is immortalised in "The Inchcape Rock" (1820), a famous poem by Robert Southey. (verses 3 & 4):
In the poem, the bell is cut off by someone known as "Ralph the Rover", out of spite. When it is cut off, Ralph says, "The next who comes to the Rock, Won’t bless the Abbot of Aberbrothok." But in a case of just deserts, Ralph and his ship are eventually scuppered by the rock that they helped to remove the bell from. In classic 19th century Romantic style, the ship sinks dramatically, and Ralph hears Hell calling (last two verses):
In his 1947 English translation of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, J. M. Cohen refers to "The Inchcape Rock" as having a style he wishes to avoid in his rendering of the ballads by Cervantes.[1]