St. David's Lighthouse
1 Mount Rd, St.George's, Bermuda
Name and Location
St. David's Lighthouse is an active Victorian-era coastal beacon located on Bermuda's northeast tip. The lighthouse guides vessels rounding the eastern end of the archipelago and entering St. George's Harbour.
Location
Address: 1 Mount Road, St. George's, St. George's Parish, Bermuda
Coordinates: 32°21′50.5″ N, 64°39′6.1″ W
Setting: Perched on a low limestone ridge just west of St. David's Head, overlooking the western entrance to St. George's Harbour.
Construction and History
St. David's Lighthouse was first lit on November 3, 1879, replacing an earlier less powerful light and improving safety for increasing steam-ship traffic. It served as a navigation aid through both World Wars, with blackout restrictions occasionally modifying its operation.
Architecture and Materials
The lighthouse is a Victorian masonry structure designed by the British Royal Engineers. The tower form is cylindrical, tapered shaft rising from a one-storey keeper's house foundation. The materials used are white-painted Bermuda limestone blocks and red-banded cast-iron gallery railings. The tower height is 22 meters (72 feet).
Light and Navigation
The major light is a group-flashing (Fl(2)) light with a period of 20 seconds, a range of 15 nautical miles, and reference Admiralty J 4472. The secondary light consists of fixed red and green sector lights with a range of 20 nautical miles, used to mark safe channel sectors and hazards.
Accessibility and Visiting
The grounds are open year-round, while the tower interior is closed to visitors. Access is by road or on foot via the coastal trail from St. Catherine's Fort or Tobacco Bay. Limited roadside parking is available on Mount Road; no on-site car park exists. Facilities include benches and interpretive panels; restrooms are not available.
Notable Views and Landscape
From the base of the tower, you can enjoy unobstructed panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean to the northeast, the approach channel into St. George's Harbour (northwest), and the rugged limestone cliffs and wind-swept scrubland characteristic of Bermuda's eastern isles.
Anecdotes and Folklore
Local lore suggests that fog-horn blasts once echoed against the cliffs in concert with the light's flashes, lending an eerie melody to winter nights. Shipwreck records from the late 19th century credit St. David's light with saving dozens of lives during gales, though specific incidents are not well documented.
Technical and Operational Details
The lighthouse is operated by the Bermuda Department of Marine and Ports Services. It was fully automated since mid-20th century, and former keepers' quarters are now unoccupied. Power is provided by mains electricity with battery backup, with LED upgrades installed in the 21st century.
Further Information
- * Bermuda Department of Marine and Ports Services, "Lights of Bermuda" brochure
- * Colin Wood's "Lighthouses of the Atlantic" (2010), pp. 142-145
- * St. George's Foundation website: www.stgeorges.bm
- * Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._David's_Lighthouse
- * OpenStreetMap feature: way/182886605 (GeoJSON properties as provided)
Details
| Name | St. David's Lighthouse |
|---|---|
| City | St. George's |
| Country | Bermuda |
| Coordinates | 32.3640215, -64.6516975 |
| Stories | Local lore suggests that fog‐horn blasts once echoed against the cliffs in concert with the light’s flashes, lending an eerie melody to winter nights., Shipwreck records from the late 19th century credit St. David��s light with saving dozens of lives during gales—though specific incidents are not well documented. |
| Architectural style | Victorian masonry lighthouse |
| Construction material | White-painted Bermuda limestone blocks; red-banded cast-iron gallery railings |
| Focal height | 20 |
| Tower height | 72 |
| Heritage status | true |
| Access description | By road or on foot via the coastal trail from St. Catherine’s Fort or Tobacco Bay |
| Accessible | true |
| View description | The Atlantic Ocean to the northeast, The approach channel into St. George’s Harbour (northwest), The rugged limestone cliffs and wind-swept scrubland characteristic of Bermuda����s eastern isles |
| Guided tours | false |
| Facilities | Benches and interpretive panels; no restrooms |
| Nearby attractions | Fort St. Catherine (17th-century fortifications), Tobacco Bay Beach (snorkeling, picnic areas), Town of St. George’s (UNESCO heritage town with shops, museums) |
| AIS Radar | true |
| Light characteristic | Group-flashing (Fl(2)) |
| Light range | 15 |
| Automated | true |