Hurst Point Lighthouse
 | |
| Hurst Point Lighthouse | |
  | |
| Location | Hurst Point, Hampshire, England |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 50°42′29″N 1°33′1″W / 50.70806°N 1.55028°W |
| Year first lit | 1867 |
| Automated | 1923 |
| Construction | Masonry |
| Tower shape | circular |
| Height | 26 m (85 ft) |
| Focal height | 23 m (75 ft) |
| Current lens | First Order 920Mm Fixed Lens |
| Intensity | White 7,140 Candela, Red 1,760 Candela |
| Range | White Light - 13 nmi (24 km); Red light - 10 nmi (19 km) |
| Characteristic | 4 White & Red Flashes Every 15 Seconds |
| ARLHS number | ENG 057 |
Hurst Point Lighthouse is located at Hurst Point in the English county of Hampshire, and guides vessels through the western approaches to the Solent.
The original lighthouse was the Hurst Tower, sited to the south west of the old Hurst Castle and lit for the first time on 29 September 1786.[1] Joseph Huddart supervised and directed its construction.[2] However, this light was found to be obscured from certain directions; consequently, in 1812, this tower was supplemented by the High Lighthouse, a new tower at a higher level.[1]
In light of the expansion of the Castle between 1865 and 1873, it proved necessary to reposition the lights. In 1866, the Low Light - a white circular granite tower with a red lantern - was built to replace the Hurst Tower. In 1911, this light was itself replaced with a red square metal tower, standing on steel joists attached to the Castle wall. It has since been decommissioned, but both of these Low Lights remain in place, the former painted grey and the latter blue/battleship grey to camouflage them and prevent confusion for mariners.[3]
Meanwhile, in 1867, the 1812 High Lighthouse was replaced by the freestanding 26 metre tower built on the end of Hurst Spit, and which is still working today.[1] It is open for visitors, but cannot be reached by car; access is by foot or boat only.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lighthouses, hurstcastle.co.uk, retrieved 18 April 2012
- ↑ Walker, William (1864). Memoirs of the distinguished men of science of Great Britain living in the year 1807-1808 p.64-5 (2 ed.). p. 160. Retrieved February 2010.
- ↑ "Hurst Point Lighthouse". Trinity House.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hurst Point High Light. |
| |||||||||||