Year first lit 1875 Focal height 38 metres (125 ft) Height 44 m Automated 1961 | Construction granite tower Range 21 mi (34 km) First lit 1875 | |
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Location Offshore on Chicken Rock, just off the Isle of Man Tower shape tapered cylindrical tower with gallery and lantern Similar Maughold Head Lighthouse, Point of Ayre Lighthouse, Calf of Man, Douglas Head Lighthouse, Cantick Head Lighthouse | ||
The Chicken Rock Lighthouse is an active 19th century lighthouse, located on Chicken Rock an isolated island at the southern end of the Isle of Man. Completed in 1874, the 44-metre-high (144 ft) tower is constructed of tapered granite and was designed by David and Thomas Stevenson. The need for the light on Chicken Rock was identified as early as 1866, due to the problem of fog obscuring the two lights on the nearby Calf of Man, hindering safe passage through the North Channel between Scotland and Ireland.
Contents
Map of Chicken Rock
History
Approval to start work on the lighthouse was given in 1868. Constructed of granite blocks forming a tapered tower, with a lantern room and single gallery, it was designed by the two brothers, David and Thomas of the Stevenson lighthouse engineering family. At the same time as overseeing this project, they were also involved in the building of the lighthouse on Dubh Artach in Scotland. Construction finished in December 1874, with the first official lighting day taking place on 1 January 1875. The total cost was £64,559 (equivalent to £5,484,906 as of 2015).
The light was originally fuelled by paraffin, although the type of fuel used and whether the optics should display a red sector light was a matter of dispute between David and Trinity House.
A fire heavily damaged the interior of the lighthouse on 23 December 1960. The three lighthouse keepers, one of whom suffered burns from the fire, were rescued by the Port St Mary RNLI lifeboat. Although the lighthouse was repaired following the fire, it was not used by any resident keepers again, and was instead automated in 1961.
The lighthouse continues to be operated and maintained by the Northern Lighthouse Board.