Sombrero Island

Anguilla

The light guards the Anegada Passage which is the most important sea route into the Carribean from Europe.
The first lighthouse on the island was built by an American company that extracted phosphate from the island. It used a 2nd order optic supplied from Chance Brothers of Smethwick near Birmingham and came into operation on 1st January 1868. There appears to be just one old photo of this lighthouse on the internet and it shows a tall cast iron structure with balcony, light and roof with accommodation on some adjacent land.
Though the island was claimed by the United States in 1856 in 1867 the U.S. agreed to recognize British soveriegnty of the island. It may well be that Chance Brothers were responsible for the whole lighthouse, bringing it across from the U.K. by boat in kit form as often happened with this type of iron structure, however I have been unable to confirm this.
Unfortunately this lighthouse was heavily damaged by Hurricane Donna in 1960 and was replaced by a new lighthouse in 1962.
Lighthouse keepers lived on the island until 2001 when Trinity House donated and installed a third new modern light tower.

Manufacture Date 1867
Lighthouse Construction 1868
Country Anguilla
Commissioning Body Unknown
Lens Order 2nd order
Lens Type Revolving
Status publish
Light Character Fl W 10s
Lighthouse Markings Ruined base is all that remains of the 1868 lighthouse.
Lighthouse Parts Unknown
Management Body Ports Authority Anguilla Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources.
Preserver Anguilla Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources.
Coastal Erosion Vulnerability
Condition Observations Original lighthouse is only the base.
Open Status (Site) Open
Open Status (Tower) Closed
Coordinates 18.5865716477,-63.4264898434
Other Though I have listed the site as open, it is only accessible by boat. ARLHS ANG-001; Admiralty J5650; NGA 14712.
Data Source Online research. The Lighthouse Work of Sir James T. Chance (APPENDIX)

Lighthouse Location

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