| Light
Established: |
1818 |
| Engineers: |
Robert
Stevenson |
| Position: |
Latitude
54° 24.9'N
Longitude 04° 22.1'W |
| Character
of Light: |
Flashing
(4) White every 20 seconds |
| Elevation: |
32
Metres |
| Nominal
Range: |
19
Miles |
| Structure: |
White
tower with 2 red bands, 30 metres in height.
There are 124 steps to top of tower. |
 At
a meeting of the Commissioners in 1815, Sheriff Rae
pointed out that representations had been received
from the Chief Magistrate of Greenock and from various
trading bodies in the Firth of Clyde, that a light
should be erected on the Point of Ayre to make the
west coast channel completely safe. As this area
was out of the Commissioners' jurisdiction in those
days, it was suggested the 'Sheriff Rae should write
to the Duke of Atholl and ascertain if he had any
objections to the establishment. The Light Committee
then recommended that the Commissioners should apply
to Parliament for power to erect a lighthouse on
the Isle of Man'. The Bill was passed in July 1815.
Soon thereafter, a party representing the Commissioners
went to Liverpool to attempt to obtain a loan from
the trade associations. The loan was necessary as
the Commissioners had become liable for a large sum
to liquidate the payment of the purchase money of
the private right of the Portland family to the duties
of the Light of May. They were also involved in the
building of the Bell Rock Lighthouse. Loans
amounting to £1,500 were obtained from the
West India Association, and the Shipowners Association
of Liverpool. Further loans were obtained from the
Trade Association of the Clyde who would also benefit
from the establishment of the light. The work commenced
late in 1815, but lack of sufficient funds made progress
slow. A further cause for delay was that the position
of the light had to be altered from the original
plan as it was found that the sea was eroding the
coast at the rate of 7ft per year.
The
lighthouse tower was 70ft high and a circular design.
The actual date when the light was first exhibited
cannot be accurately fixed, but it is known to have
been between December 1818 and February 1819.
The
main light at Point of Ayre was established in 1818,
but some 70 years later it was found necessary to
build an additional small light tower some 250 yards
seaward from the main tower. Due to continuous gravel
build-up, this tower moved a further 250ft seaward
in 1951, and now stands out on the gravel bank.
Point
of Ayre is lighted by the dioptric (refraction) method.
The light revolves on roller bearings driven by a
clock-work mechanism operated by a weight lowered
to the base of the tower. In all but the most sophisticated
lighthouse, this has to be rewound manually, the
diuturnity governed by the revolution of the optic
and the height of the tower. This varies from 45
minutes at Maughold Head, 77 ft high and turning
every 30 seconds, to 90 minutes at the Point of Ayre
which has an eight minute revolution.
In
favourable wind conditions, the fog horn can be heard
at the Mull of Galloway, 26 miles away. Powered by
Kelvin engines, the siren uses an intermittent escape
of compressed air through a shutter to give a periodic
blast from the large horns facing seawards.
Thirteen
selected lighthouses send regular reports to the
Meteorological Office as many of the stations are
vanguards to the Atlantic weather system. Point of
Ayre submits 3 hourly reports to the Met Office at
Ronaldsway, and these are incorporated in the international
broadcasts.
1982
NOTES This station is soon to be modernised which
will include a new optic system and fog signal.
The name Point of Ayre comes from Norse, Eyrr, gravelly beach, or Eriball,
and Ayre Point of Raasay.
Point of Ayre lighthouse was automated in 1993.
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- Live WebCam at Mull of Galloway