Ruadh Sgeir

In 1906 a minor light was built on Ruadh Sgeir by David A and Charles Stevenson. The introduction of this un-manned beacon light was announced by the Northern Lighthouse Board in a Notice To Mariners (Lloyds List 13 November 1906).

In 1983 the original Ruadh Sgeir light was replaced by the current GRP example, originally fuelled by acetylene gas but converted in 2002 to solar-powered electricity. Ruadh Sgeir lighthouse occupies roughly the same location as the 1906 cast iron beacon.

NB: It is assumed that the chance lens was replaced when the lighthouse was rebuilt in 1983 BUT no references can be found to state if this happened OR if the existing light was reused in the new tower. Further work is required to find out exactly what happened.

It is one of the first low maintenance, glass reinforced plastic (GRP) towers built in Scotland. There are currently 13 of these GRP towers in the estate of the Northern Lighthouse Board. Only a small number were built because as the process of solarisation developed in the mid to late 1980s the solar-powered, lattice aluminium towers (SPLAT) became the more economically viable option for replacing the remaining gas-powered minor lights in Scotland. The last GRP tower was erected in 2010 at Crammag Head, and all 13 examples have been converted to solar power in place of the original gas-powered apparatus.

Grade C listed building https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/200407397-ruadh-sgeir-lighthouse-jura