Mumbles Lighthouse, completed in 1794, is a

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

located in

Mumbles Mumbles ( cy, Mwmbwls) is a headland sited on the western edge of Swansea Bay on the southern coast of Wales. Toponym Mumbles has been noted for its unusual place name. The headland is thought by some to have been named by French sailors, ...

, near

Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe). The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...

. The structure, which sits on the outer of two islands off Mumbles Head, is clearly visible from any point along the five mile sweep of

Swansea Bay Swansea Bay ( cy, Bae Abertawe) is a bay on the southern coast of Wales. The River Neath, River Tawe, River Afan, River Kenfig and Clyne River flow into the bay. Swansea Bay and the upper reaches of the Bristol Channel experience a large tid ...

. Along with the nearby lifeboat station, it is the most photographed landmark in the village. MumblesLighthouse1

The tower has two tiers and initially two open coal fire lights were displayed. These open coal fire lights were difficult to maintain and were soon replaced by a single oil-powered light within a cast-iron

lantern A lantern is an often portable source of lighting, typically featuring a protective enclosure for the light sourcehistorically usually a candle or a wick in oil, and often a battery-powered light in modern timesto make it easier to carry and h ...

. In 1860, the oil-powered light was upgraded to a

dioptric Dioptrics is the branch of optics dealing with refraction, similarly the branch dealing with mirrors is known as catoptrics. Dioptrics is the study of the refraction of light, especially by lenses. Telescopes that create their image with an objec ...

light and the

Mumbles Battery Mumbles Battery is a battery on the north coast of the Bristol Channel overlooking Swansea. It was built around the base of the Mumbles Lighthouse. It is one of the many Palmerston Forts built in response to a perceived French invasion, and was ...

, a

fort A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

that surrounds the tower, was built by the War Department. In 1905, an

occulting An occultation is an event that occurs when one object is hidden from the observer by another object that passes between them. The term is often used in astronomy, but can also refer to any situation in which an object in the foreground blocks ...

mechanism, where the light was made to flash, was fitted. This was partially automated in 1934. By 1977, the cast-iron lantern had deteriorated beyond repair and was removed. A different lantern was added in 1987. In 1995, the main light was replaced and an array of

solar panel A solar cell panel, solar electric panel, photo-voltaic (PV) module, PV panel or solar panel is an assembly of photovoltaic solar cells mounted in a (usually rectangular) frame, and a neatly organised collection of PV panels is called a photo ...

s and emergency monitoring equipment were added.

References

External links

*
Chesapeake Bay Lighthouse Project - The Mumbles Lighthouse

Mumbles Lighthouse Island World War II Defences and Battery 299 photos & plans

Trinity House
{{Authority control Lighthouses in Wales Lighthouses completed in 1794 Towers completed in 1794 Grade II* listed buildings in Swansea Grade II* listed lighthouses 1794 establishments in Wales

See also

References

External links