Bishop Rock Lighthouse

In 1847 Walker decided to erect a screw-pile lighthouse. The work was suspended at the end of 1849; the building was complete but lighting apparatus had not yet been installed. The following season a heavy gale swept away the whole structure on the evening of 5 February 1850.

Undismayed by the failure of the first lighthouse, Walker once again turned to the idea of a granite tower based upon Smeaton's Eddystone tower. After surveying the site, he finally chose a small but solid mass giving room for a base ten metres in diameter. The surface waves constantly swept over the site, and indeed the lowest blocks had to be laid a third of a metre beneath low water mark. A heavy coffer dam was erected around the site and the water within pumped out, so that the masons might be able to work on a dry rock face. The lighthouse was constructed in brief spells when weather permitted, and after seven years’ labour the tower was finally completed. In all, the 35 metre tall tower contained 2,500 tons of dressed granite and cost £34,560. The light was first exhibited on 1 September 1858. During one particularly powerful storm, waves rolled up on the side of the lighthouse and tore away the 550lb fog bell from its fastenings on the gallery.

In 1881 Sir James Douglass made a detailed inspection of the tower and reported extensive damage and weakness in the structure. It was decided to strengthen the tower and at the same time to increase the elevation of the light by 12m. The plans, though quite complex in nature, essentially entailed the building of a new lighthouse around the old one, completely encasing it. As part of this work a 'biform' optical system designed and built by Chance Brothers was added to the lighthouse.