Elie Ness Lighthouse

The lighthouse is situated on the northern side of the Firth of Forth and was engineered by David Stevenson.
The main case for building the lighthouse were due to the increased traffic to the ports of Fife, the fact that Elie Ness projected out into the Firth and that in bad weather lights on the Isle of May and Inchkeith were not visible.

On 30th January approval was given by the President of the Board of Trade for the light to be erected. At this time the president was David Lloyd George who later became Liberal Prime Minister.

On 16th October 1907 it was agreed with HM Coast Guards and Reserves Edinburgh that the Coast Guardsmen stationed at Elie would become attendants to the light. This arrangement allowed the power of light to be increased from 2000 to 20000 candle power and to use a revolving optical apparatus with fixed acetylene light.
On 24th October 1907 local builder James Lawrie of Anstruther was chosen by tender to erect the tower and gas room.
Building work commenced in December 1907 with completion by June 1908.

Installation of the equipment then commenced with the lantern and machinery supplied by Messrs Dove and Co of Edinburgh, acetylene plant by Messrs Moyes and Co of Glasgow and the light apparatus by Chance Brothers of Smethwick near Birmingham.

The light was officially lit on 1st October 1908 and was reported to have cost £978-4s-3d.

The light continued to use acetylene gas until conversion to mains electricity in 1959. At this point the lantern room was removed and the tower changed to it's present configuration.

Full time coastguard cover ceased from 1969 and moved to an attendant who covered several other lights including Tod Head, Scurdie Ness and the Isle of May.

The light should have moved to become under the jurisdiction of the local harbour authority at Elie but due to financial issues this was not possible. After discussions with the Northern Lighthouse Board and Forth Ports it was agreed that following an upgrade to modern technology which took place in 2010 the light would then move over to the jurisdiction of Forth Ports and this eventually took place in 2013.

The lighthouse is now a Grade C listed building.