Bell Rock Lighthouse

The Bell Rock Lighthouse is the world’s oldest surviving sea‑washed lighthouse. It stands on the Bell Rock, also known as Inchcape, in the North Sea off the coast of Angus, Scotland, about 11 mi east of the Firth of Tay.

The tower is a tapered cylindrical masonry tower that includes a balcony and lantern and incorporates the keeper’s quarters. It rises 35 m tall and the light’s focal plane is at 28 m. The white flash (Fl. W) repeats every 5 seconds, with an initial flash of 0.1 s followed by an eclipse of 4.9 s, and the beam is visible to a distance of 35 smi inland. The light characteristic is listed as Fl. W 5s 28m 18M.

The lighthouse was built between 1807 and 1810 by Scottish civil engineer Robert Stevenson. Its lamps and reflectors were replaced in 1843, with the original apparatus now displayed at Cape Bonavista Light in Newfoundland. The masonry work has not been replaced or adapted in 200 years, and the lighthouse was automated on 24 October 1988.

The tower remains an active aid to navigation, remotely monitored by the Northern Lighthouse Board. The former shore station, the Bell Rock Signal Tower built in 1813 at the mouth of Arbroath harbour, now houses the Signal Tower Museum, offering a detailed history of the lighthouse for visitors.

Videos

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