Name and Location

Berry Head Lighthouse stands at the eastern tip of Berry Head, guarding the entrance to Tor Bay and the approaches to Brixham Harbour. Its official name is Berry Head Lighthouse, and it is managed by Trinity House, the authority for the English and Welsh coast.

The lighthouse's location is Unnamed Road, Berry Head, Brixham, Torbay, Devon, TQ5 9AW, United Kingdom, with coordinates 50°23′58″N, 03°29′00″W (50.3995629, –3.4834428). The address can be found on Google Maps at https://goo.gl/maps/4pS8wVUiRYG2.

Construction and History

The Berry Head Lighthouse was constructed in 1906 to serve as the rear (high) range light for safe navigation into Tor Bay and Brixham Harbour. It replaced earlier low-lying lights that were frequently obscured by fog. The lighthouse was designed and built by E. S. Breakspear and Company under Trinity House direction.

The original purpose of the lighthouse was to provide a reliable navigation aid for mariners entering the bay and harbour. Over time, the technology and operation of the lighthouse have evolved. In 1928, it was converted to automatic acetylene operation, and in 1994, it was upgraded to electrical power and remote monitoring.

Architecture and Materials

The Berry Head Lighthouse is a short, circular brick tower with a domed lantern and gallery, attached to a single-storey engine room to the north. The exterior finish is white painted masonry, with a black gallery rail and lantern roof. The tower's height above base is approximately 6 metres, while its focal height above mean high water is 58 metres.

The lighthouse was constructed using brick and masonry, with a cast-iron lantern.

Light and Navigation

The Berry Head Lighthouse has a group flashing light characteristic: two white flashes every 15 seconds (Fl(2) W 15s). The sequence timing is 0.2 s flash + (2.6 s eclipse), followed by 0.2 s flash + (12.0 s eclipse).

The lighthouse's original lens was an acetylene-activated revolving catadioptric optic, but it was replaced with a modern LED/metal-halide beacon during the 1994 upgrade.

Accessibility and Visiting

Visitors can access the lighthouse via a car park on Berry Head Road (free), which is about 10 minutes' walk from the tower. Public access to the site includes waymarked footpaths leading to the lighthouse, as well as picnic benches and interpretation panels at the nearby car park.

Notable Views and Landscape

From the top of the lighthouse, visitors can enjoy panoramic views over Tor Bay, Lyme Bay, and Brixham Harbour. The surrounding landscape features rugged limestone cliffs, grassy headland, World War II searchlight emplacements, and Napoleonic gun batteries.

Anecdotes and Folklore

During World War II, the lighthouse keepers doubled as observation men for the Royal Observer Corps. Local lore tells of phantom lantern lights seen in former keepers' cottages (now private residences) on stormy nights, adding to the area's rich history and folklore.

Technical and Operational Details

The Berry Head Lighthouse is powered by mains electricity with battery standby. It is monitored remotely from Trinity House Operations Centre, Harwich. In 2010, an AIS transmitter was installed, broadcasting light identity and position.

Further Information

• For further information on the lighthouse, please visit the Trinity House official light list at https://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/lighthouses-and-lightvessels/berry-head or the English Heritage Listing at List Entry No. 1207086.
• The National Trust Berry Head reserve can be found at https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/berry-head, and Wikipedia has a page dedicated to the lighthouse at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berry_Head_Lighthouse.