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The Butt of Lewis Lighthouse
58� 31’ N, 6� 15.7’ W
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| At midnight on Tuesday 31 March 1998
the Northern Lighthouse Board switched the last of its manned lighthouses to a remotely
monitored, fully automated, system. The official switchover was carried out by Princess
Anne on the Fair Isle light (located between the Orkney and Shetland main islands). At
that precise moment the other two remaining manned lighthouses in Scotland were also
automated – North Ronaldsay (Orkney) and the Butt of Lewis. For the Butt this
ended a 136 years of continuous residence by successive generations of light-keepers and
their families.
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The Butt of Lewis Lighthouse
was designed by David Stevenson, Engineer to the Northern Lighthouse Board and a
grandfather of the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, famous for writing classics
such as Treasure Island, Kidnapped and The Strange Case of Doctor
Jekyll and Mr Hyde. In June 1859, the quotation
submitted by John Barr & Co of Ardrossan, amounting to �4,900 ("….dwelling
house in brick and with lead roofs considered to be indispensable in view of the
remoteness and exposure of the situation…..") was accepted.
Records suggest that it was quite late into the year before
Barr’s could get their plant forwarded to the island, and that the vessel containing
part of the contractor's property was wrecked while attempting to land its cargo. This
resulted in the masonry works being postponed until the Spring of 1860. The commissioners
visited the Butt on 23 July 1860 and found, "……work not so far advanced
as had been anticipated." Later, on 24 March 1862, the Department of Trade were
informed that the "…..works at Butt of Lewis are so far advanced that the
Commissioners expect it to be lighted in the Autumn." |
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| The Lighthouse Tower: The tower, which is 37 metres in height and designated as a
‘listed’ building, was not just a welcome sight for passing ships but also
latterly acted as a highly sophisticated data-gathering centre. Up until automation (March
1998) the keepers recorded detailed weather data every hour for onward transmission to the
Meteorological Office. The data included wind direction and speed, temperatures, cloud
types and heights. This would then be analysed by the Meteorological Office as part of the
national weather forecasting system.
The original specifications for the bricks used for the building
work stated that they had to be, "….similar to those used in the Edinburgh
Gas Works chimney instead of common brick." When the Department of Trade asked
for clarification, they received the following response: "Brick [normally]
specified is the ordinary brick used for exposed places such as chimneys and is in all
respects identical with what has been approved of in the whole of the lighthouse works
which have been lately executed, including Corran, Phladda, McArthur's Head and St Abb's
Head, all sanctioned last year and now in operation. Common brick in such a situation as
the Butt of Lewis would be wholly inadmissible and would not stand the exposure to the
sea.
The reference to the Gas Works Chimney in Edinburgh is contained
in the specification of all the works alluded to - it was originally for the information
of the Contractors in making up their offers as an example of what is wanted."
The reference to the Gas Works Chimney in Edinburgh is contained
in the specification of all the works alluded to - it was originally for the information
of the Contractors in making up their offers as an example of what is wanted."
The reference to the Gas Works Chimney in Edinburgh is contained
in the specification of all the works alluded to - it was originally for the information
of the Contractors in making up their offers as an example of what is wanted."
During construction the individual who had been engaged to build
the tower’s 168 concrete spiral steps went on strike in demand of a penny a day
increase in wages. His employers were forced to largely meet his conditions because this
work was very specialised and it would have been very difficult and costly for them to
replace him.
Source of Illumination:
Fish oil (1862-1869); Paraffin (1869-1976); Electricity
(1976-1998)
Foghorn:
The original foghorn was operated by compressed air and was
decommissioned and demolished in the early 1980s. Many local residents still mourn
the familiar, booming, sound of the old horn. Its modern, electrically powered,
replacement is more highly pitched and described by the Board as being more
'effective'. |
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Lighting: The lighthouse was first lit in 1862 - following protracted negotiations
between the Lighthouse Board and staff at the Board of Trade over whether the light should
be fixed or flashing. The Stevensons’ and the Commissioners favoured a flashing light
but were over-ruled by the Department of Trade, who insisted on: "…..a fixed
light of the first order."
On 21 March 1859 Stevenson reported to the Commissioners: "Keeping
in view the prominent position of the Butt of Lewis as a great sealight and the necessary
distinction from the neighbouring lights existing and determined on, we have no hesitation
in recommending that it has been estimated accordingly. A fixed light in such an outlying
situation should for optical reasons be avoided if it be at all possible and there does
not seem any call for adopting a fixed light at the Butt of Lewis."
The Commissioners subsequently notified Trinity House (the
Board’s headquarters) on 24 March 1859 that the, "Commissioners are of the
opinion that the light should be a flashing white light of the first order, so as to
distinguish it from Cape Wrath, which is alternate red and white and from Stour Head which
the Commissioners mean to propose should be fixed .... The adoption of a fixed light at
such a station as Butt of Lewis could in the present day only be justified on some very
special ground." The Department of Trade’s judgement prevailed and a fixed
light was installed.
On 8 March 1903 the staff at the Butt of Lewis were informed that
the ‘character and measure of the power of the light’ at the Butt would be
changed in May of that year. While the work was in progress a temporary light (of the same
character as the present light, although of lesser intensity) was put into operation: "The
permanent light, when altered, will be flashing white, showing a flash every 20 seconds
with a power of about 375,000 candles, and will be visible over the same bearings as the
present light."
Until recently the light source itself was fixed and sat inside a
large lens (in effect a giant magnifying glass). The lens revolved around the light, thus
giving the familiar flashing effect. The lens itself was driven by a giant clockwork motor
which the keeper on duty had to wind by hand every half-hour or so during the hours of
darkness. Automation finally ended this practice. |
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| Supplies Up until the early 1960s the Butt of Lewis lighthouse was supplied by sea.
When the lighthouse was built in the 1860s, there were no easy methods of transporting
supplies within the island of Lewis due to the poor road system which existed at that
time. Consequently, fuel and supplies for the facility had to be transported by sea from
mainland depots.
Port Stoth
About 400 yards from the lighthouse is a small bay, known as Stoth
(pronounced ‘stow’). Here small cargo vessels would regularly berth, weather
permitting, to discharge fuel and provisions for the lighthouse station. All that remains
today of this docking area is some timber and metal steps, the concrete base on which the
crane was mounted, and a red-brick building (the same brick as the lighthouse) which was
used as a store by the Board. |
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Butt
of Lewis Lighthouse |
| Established: |
1862 |
| Engineer: |
David Stevenson |
| Builder: |
John Barr & Co [Ardrossan] |
| Map Reference: |
58� 31’ N, 6� 15.7’ W |
| Character of Light: |
Flashing white every 25 seconds |
| Elevation: |
52 metres |
| Candle Power |
750,000 |
| Nominal Range of Light: |
25 miles |
| Structure: |
Red brick tower |
| Height |
37 metres |
| Number of Steps: |
168 |
| Fog Horn |
2 blasts every 30 seconds |
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