Bull Point Lighthouse
5QXX+JG Woolacombe, UK
Name and Location
2. Construction and History
The lighthouse was constructed between 1879 and 1881 by Trinity House, with Sir James Nicholas Douglass as its Chief Engineer. Its purpose was to replace inadequate lights at nearby Morte Point and high cliff exposures, warning vessels off Rapparee Cove and the hazardous lee shores north of Woolacombe. The lighthouse was commissioned in October 1881 and automated in 1975, discontinuing on-site keepers. Fog signals were discontinued in 1988.
3. Architecture and Materials
The lighthouse's style is Victorian industrial, with subtle classical detailing. It was constructed using local granite rubble with ashlar dressings and a cast-iron lantern room. The tower form is cylindrical, with a balcony and lantern. The height of the tower above ground level is 19 meters (62 feet), while its focal height is 44 meters (144 feet) above mean high water.
4. Light and Navigation
The original light source was multi-wick oil burners with dioptric lens apparatus, but it has since been replaced by a 1,000 W metal-halide lamp fed from mains electricity with battery standby. The lens is fourth-order (250 mm) catadioptric optic, with a characteristic of group flashing three white flashes every 20 seconds (Fl (3) W 20 s). The range is approximately 18 nautical miles (33 kilometers).
5. Accessibility and Visiting
The tower is not open to the public, but the keeper's cottages are available for self-catering holidays through the Landmark Trust. Visitors can access the site by foot along the South West Coast Path from Woolacombe village or by car with limited roadside parking at Bull Point.
6. Notable Views and Landscape
The surrounding landscape features rugged limestone cliffs, maritime heathland, and seabird colonies. The views from the lighthouse are panoramic, looking west toward Baggy Point and Lundy Island, and east toward Morte Bay.
7. Anecdotes and Folklore
Local legend has it that on foggy nights, the cottage chimneys at Bull Point glow with an other-worldly light, said to be the "lost lantern" of an early keeper. However, this story remains unverified and has not been confirmed by Trinity House or official archives.
8. Technical and Operational Details
There is no standalone AIS transmitter; Trinity House monitors the lighthouse's position via central control. The nautical chart references are Admiralty Chart 1620 (North Devon – Hartland Point to Minehead).
9. Further Information
For more information, visit the Wikipedia page on Bull Point Lighthouse or Trinity House's official listing.
Details
| Name | Bull Point Lighthouse |
|---|---|
| City | Woolacombe |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 51.1990714, -4.2011548 |
| Year of construction | 1881 |
| Events | Shipwrecks: In the 19th century, vessels bound for Ilfracombe and Barnstaple foundered on nearby Gull Rock and 'The Duncansby', underlining the need for the modern lighthouse |
| Stories | Keepers' life: Family quarters included fireplaces warmed by fuel delivered by boat or pack pony – weather often prevented relief visits for weeks at a time; Local legend (unverified): Some walkers report that, on foggy nights, the cottage chimneys at Bull Point glow with an other-worldly light, said to be the 'lost lantern' of an early keeper |
| Architectural style | Victorian industrial, functional with subtle classical detailing |
| Architect | Sir James Nicholas Douglass |
| Construction material | ["Local granite rubble with ashlar dressings","Cast-iron lantern room"] |
| Focal height | 44 |
| Tower height | 19 |
| Heritage status | true |
| Access description | By foot: 1 km on the South West Coast Path from Woolacombe village, By car: Limited roadside parking at Bull Point (please observe local restrictions) |
| Accessible | true |
| Landscape type | Rugged limestone cliffs, maritime heathland, seabird colonies |
| View description | Panoramic outlook west toward Baggy Point and Lundy Island, east toward Morte Bay |
| Guided tours | false |
| Facilities | Self-catering holiday cottages (sleeps up to 6), no on-site café or museum, Toilets |
| Nearby attractions | ["Woolacombe Beach (2 km south) – popular sandy bay for bathing and surfing","Morte Point (1 km northeast) – dramatic cliff walk with seabird nesting sites","Mortehoe village – traditional Devonshire tea rooms, Putsborough Sands","South West Coast Path – Bull Point marks a scenic stage on the long-distance route"] |
| AIS Radar | false |
| Light characteristic | "Fl(3) W.20s" |
| Light range | 18 |
| Automated | true |