Whitby West Pier Lighthouse

Whitby West Pier Lighthouse
LocationWhitby
North Yorkshire
England
OS gridNZ 89943 11722
Coordinates54°29′34″N 0°36′46″W / 54.49287°N 0.612916°W / 54.49287; -0.612916
Tower
Constructed1831 
Constructionstone (tower) 
Height25 m (82 ft) 
Shapecylindrical tower with balcony and lantern[1]
MarkingsBlack (dome), white (lantern), unpainted (tower) 
OperatorWhitby Harbour Board 
HeritageGrade II listed[2]
Fog signal1 blast every 30s
Light
Characteristicoccasionally F G
Whitby West Pier beacon
Constructed1914 
Constructionlumber 
Height7 m (23 ft) 
Shapecylindrical lantern on a four legs skeletal structure
MarkingsUnpainted (tower), green (lantern) 
OperatorNorth Yorkshire Council
Focal height12 m (39 ft) 
Range5 nmi (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) 
CharacteristicQ G 

Whitby West Pier Lighthouse is, along with Whitby East Pier Lighthouse, one of two lighthouses protecting the entrance to the harbour of the town of Whitby in the English county of North Yorkshire. As its name suggests, it is located on the West Pier of that harbour. Built in 1831, it is the older and, at 84 feet (25.5 m), the taller of the two.[2][3]

The West Pier Lighthouse was visited by Princess Victoria in 1834, shortly after it was opened.[2]

In about 1914, the west pier was extended a further 500 feet (150 m) into the sea, and a new beacon was added to the end of this extension. The west pier extension also accommodates a foghorn that sounds a blast every 30 seconds during fog. New lights were fitted to both the lighthouse towers and the beacons in 2011.[4][5]

References

  1. ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Northeastern England". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Historic England. "West Pier Lighthouse (1253731)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Whitby – History". 2011. Archived from the original on 30 August 2011. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
  4. ^ Rennison, Robert William (1996). Civil engineering heritage, Northern England (2 ed.). London: Telford. p. 139. ISBN 0727725181.
  5. ^ "Whitby harbour operations and performance report Oct 2011". Retrieved 20 January 2015.