Celebrating the Engineering of Scotland’s Lighthouses

By theorkneynews on October 20, 2019 • ( Leave a comment )

2020 will be Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters.

Two Lighthouses W Isles B Bell

Some of the most iconic features of Scotland’s coasts are the many lighthouses that were so crucial in preventing shipwrecks, saving lives and goods.

Dunnet Head

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) will be reviewing the listed and unlisted lighthouses owned by the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB).

Lighthouse records will be updated and researchers will use information and photographs from NLB’s collection held in the National Record of the Historic Environment.

The Bell Rock Lighthouse. Photo © Ian Cowe

The project will be a major project throughout Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 2020.

There are around 150 listed lighthouses throughout the country part of Scotland’s exceptional engineering achievements.

Photo Nick Morrison

Philip Robertson, Deputy Head of Designations at HES said:

“Buildings listed as having ‘special architectural or historic interest’ form part of the nation’s rich heritage and help to tell the story of Scotland’s past. Listing celebrates these buildings and ensures their special interest is considered in the planning process.

“There are a range of lighthouses which have never been assessed for listing, including some dating from the 1970s and 1980s, so we’re really excited to look at these structures for the first time and explore their potential.”

“By reviewing and updating the records of these fascinating buildings, we will be able to offer more information about what makes them special to help their future care and maintenance.”

Eilean Glas Lighthouse B Bell

Mike Bullock, Chief Executive of the Northern Lighthouse Board, said:

“We place a great deal of importance on the preservation and sharing of our remarkable history and we are delighted to be working on this project with HES during Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters. Many of our lighthouses are now over 200 years old but they continue to serve the same purpose as when they were built – to guide all mariners safely through Scottish and Isle of Man waters.”

“It will be enormously helpful to determine the appropriate listed status for our lights built in the 1970s and 1980s. Architecturally, they might be very different structures to the Stevenson lighthouses but they are very much a part of our lighthouse heritage.”