Mew Island Light
Mew Island Lighthouse, A2, United Kingdom
Name and Location
Mew Island Lighthouse stands on Mew Island, the outermost of the Copeland Islands group, off the County Down coast of Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. Its official name is Mew Island Lighthouse, and it is operated by the Commissioners of Irish Lights.
2. Construction and History
The lighthouse was built in 1928 and features an Inter-war functionalist design. It has a reinforced concrete tower with a cast-iron lantern and stands approximately 12 meters tall. The predecessor light was a simple beacon that marked the reefs until the construction of this lighthouse.
3. Architecture and Materials
The lighthouse's tower is made of unpainted concrete, while the lantern and rail are painted white. It has a cylindrical shape with a gallery around its circumference.
4. Light and Navigation
The lighthouse emits a group flashing light characteristic of four white flashes every 30 seconds (Fl (4) W 30 s), visible for up to 21 nautical miles. The Admiralty chart no. is 1467, and the UKHO pilot refers to it as "Irish Sea Pilot," NP No. 6.
5. Accessibility and Visiting
The tower itself is not open to the general public. Mew Island is privately owned and managed as a nature reserve; landings are only permitted by prior permission of the Commissioners of Irish Lights or licence from the landowner. The lighthouse can be viewed from mainland locations such as Groomsport, Bangor, and Donaghadee harbours.
6. Notable Views and Landscape
The surrounding landscape features rugged granite outcrops with nesting seabirds (gulls and terns) and intertidal rocky shores. Mew Island is part of the Copeland Islands Special Protection Area (SPA) and Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI).
7. Anecdotes and Folklore
Prior to automation in 1975, keepers would occasionally man the station during World War II due to blackout restrictions. The lighthouse was said to be guided by the "Mew Gulls" that would guide mariners into Belfast Lough.
8. Technical and Operational Details
The lighthouse is fully automatic, monitored from the Commissioners of Irish Lights' headquarters in Dublin. It has a mains supply with battery backup (solar-assist) and an AIS station with MMSI 992351109 (Class B AIS, repeater of light data).
9. Further Information
For more information on the lighthouse, visit the Commissioners of Irish Lights website or consult historic records from the Historic Environment Division, Northern Ireland.
Details
| Name | Mew Island Light |
|---|---|
| City | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 54.6986234, -5.5135479 |
| Year of construction | 1928 |
| Events | World War II: The light was dimmed for blackout restrictions; occasional watch-keeping parties manned the station. |
| Historic significance | Listed under Northern Ireland's Historic Monuments designation (Grade B+ equivalent) |
| Keeper stories | Keeper stories: Last three keepers left the island on 15 June 1975 |
| Stories | Last three keepers left the island on 15 June 1975; logbooks recount fierce winter storms that washed away storage huts. |
| Architectural style | Inter-war functionalist lighthouse design |
| Construction material | ["Reinforced concrete","cast-iron lantern"] |
| Focal height | 41 |
| Tower height | 12 |
| Heritage status | true |
| Access description | Private island with prior permission from CIL or landowner required for landing. |
| Accessible | false |
| Landscape type | Rugged granite outcrop with nesting seabirds (gulls, terns), intertidal rocky shore. |
| Guided tours | false |
| Nearby attractions | ["Copeland Bird Observatory (on Lighthouse Island)","Donaghadee Harbour and lighthouse (mainland)","Bangor Marina and aquarium"] |
| AIS Radar | true |
| Light characteristic | "Fl (4) W 30 s" |
| Light range | 21 |
| Automated | true |