Tarbat Ness Lighthouse is located at the northwest tip of the Tarbat Ness peninsula on Scotland’s east coast, close to the village of Portmahomack. The lighthouse tower is the third tallest in Scotland, after North Ronaldsay and Skerryvore.
History
1826: In November 1826, 16 vessels were lost in a storm in the Moray Firth. This prompted many applications for lights to be erected on either Tarbat Ness or Covesea Skerries. Tarbat Ness was given priority as it had already been mentioned in 1814, and was highly regarded by the Caledonian Canal Commissioners.
1830: The Lighthouse was engineered by Robert Stevenson and the light was first exhibited on 26 January 1830. James Smith of Inverness was the contractor responsible for building the lighthous. The navigation light was an Argand Paraffin Lamp with 4 burners.
1907: The light was changed to an incandescent pressurised lamp with 55mm mantles. The lightroom machine was installed in 1892 and remained in use until automation in 1985.
1985: Tarbat Ness Lighthouse was automated. The lens and machine are on display at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.
Geological and Ornithological Significance
The majority of the Tarbat Ness peninsula is farmland, but it also has geological and ornithological significance. The foreshore between Rockfield and the lighthouse, particularly the area to the east of Wilkhaven Farm, has sedimentary structures in the upper layers of red sandstone, intertidal weathering in calciferous rock, and deeply weathered rock. There have even been earthquake shocks reported at the site.
Tarbat Ness is the stopping-off point for migratory birds during the autumn migration. It’s an observation point for Manx and Sooty shearwaters, great arctic and pomarine skuas, and various other seabirds. There are also considerable falls of Scandinavian migrants, including redwing, meadow pipit and wheatear.
The site on which the lighthouse sits was once home to a Roman fort. According to Highland folklore, it was used as a meeting place for witches’ covens.