Along the English Seacoast

Trevose Lighthouse
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A lighthouse was first proposed for this area of the North Cornish coast as early as 1819 there being no light at that time to guide ships trading in the Bristol Channel other than the Longships to the south and the old Lundy light to the north.

The position was further considered by Trinity House in 1813 and again in 1832, but it was not until 1st December 1847 that an oil light comprising wicks backed with reflectors, was first lit at Trevose Head.

The light is situated on the north west extremity of the head, with gigantic cliffs of gray granite rising sheer from the sea to a height of 1511 feet or more. The area, like so much of the Devon and Cornish coastline is constantly threatened by sea mists that make even the most powerful lights seem like candles. This makes it difficult to understand why a fog signal was not installed at that time.

Prior to 1882 there were 2 fixed lights at Trevose Head· The High light in the tower we see today and to the front of this a Low light An entry in the Channel Pilot of 1859 gives the details for Trevose as follows:-

Trevose Head lights - two fixed bright lights, at different elevations. The highest of these lights bums at an elevation of 204 feet above the level of high water, and illuminates 274 degrees of the compass, or from East, round seaward to south, and is visible 19 miles. The lower light, which is placed about 50 feet in advance, or to seaward of the higher light, burns at an elevation of l29 feet above the level of high water, and Illuminated about 176 degrees of the compass, or from N:E ½ E., round seaward to S. W. ¾ W, visible for 16 miles.

1882 saw a change in the light at Trevose, with the installation of an occulting light in the High light

and the discontinuance of the Low light. The relevant entry from the Station Order Book gives us the details:-

1882 31st August - inspected High light apparatus after alterations and additions. An intermittent Light with 3 occultations in quick succession every minute as follows; light - 45 seconds, eclipse - 3 seconds, light - 3 seconds, eclipse - 3 seconds, light - 3 seconds, eclipse-3 seconds, total duration 60 seconds. Tested the apparatus and found all satisfactorily completed for exhibition. James Douglas.

Another entry on the same day by the Superintendent gives us this extract:-

The light is now exhibited (7pm) and the machinery is keeping perfect time, everything connected with the change is quite satisfactory - as the night is foggy 1 have given instructions to light the six wicks.

It was during the period 1869 to 1919 when Lord Rayleigh was scientific adviser to Trinity House that the first mention of a fog horn was made in the Station Order Book. In addition another change to the light took place during this period - in the Autumn of 1911 the dwellings underwent extensive alterations and work to construct a fog signal house commenced. Details of the new light are given in the Station Order Book as follows:-

August 1st 1912. - visited by Captain Clarke and Sir Thomar Matthews, Engineer-in-Chief and Mr. Hood on exhibition of the new light flashing every five seconds - all found in good order. The work on the new fog signal progressing favourably.

On 6th February 1913 the new fog signal was put in to service at an inauguration ceremony attended by the then Deputy Master Captain Blake and Captains Crawford and Marshall accompanied by Sir Thomas Matthews.

The new fog horn developed by Lord Rayleigh, who was experimenting at that time with new types of fog signal, took the form of an enormous trumpet. Rectangular in shape the new horn was 36 feet long with the aperture 18 feet by 2 feet, it being intended that this shape would give a wide horizontal spread of sound. It must have been successful because it stayed in use until the new fog signal was introduced in 1963, a Supertyphon with 8 horns.

During the 1912/I3 modernization, the first order (920mm) catadioptric lens with the three symmetrical panels was put into service, and it was into this lens in around 1920 that the Hood vapour burner was installed. Newly developed the Hood high power vaporized oil burner, with autoform mantel was a great improvement. The autoform mantle formed itself into a spherical shape when burnt off. The light produced was a 198,000 candle power red flash of 0.3 second duration every 5 seconds with a nominal range of 25 miles; the 3.6 ton lens was driven by a clockwork motor driven by weights. The next major change was in 1973 when the first trials took place to convert the station to electric power.

Trevose today is a compact station with the dwellings to the rear of the tower grouped around a triangular courtyard. Above the main entrance is a fine example of the Trinity House Coat of Arms.

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© 1999, Pete Amass
Date:   Mar. 21,1999