Name and Location

The Mumbles Lighthouse, also referred to locally as "The Mumbles Light", is an active aid to navigation managed by Trinity House. Its official address is H28H+PH Mumbles, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom, with coordinates 51°34′00.7″ N, 3°58′15.7″ W.

2. Construction and History

The lighthouse was constructed in 1860 to replace earlier beacons, built by Trinity House as a warning for shipping to avoid rocky outcrops and shoals off Mumbles Head and to mark the west entrance to Swansea Bay.

3. Architecture and Materials

The tower is a tapered cylindrical masonry structure with a gallery and lantern, constructed from locally quarried stone, rendered, and painted white. The cast-iron lantern and dome are painted black. The height of the tower above its base is 17 meters, while the focal plane is 35 meters above mean high water.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse emits a group of four white flashes every 20 seconds (Fl (4) W 20 s), with a nominal range of 15 nautical miles. The light reference is NGA Admiralty A 5358, and the fog signal consists of three blasts every 60 seconds.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The tower itself is not open to the public, but the headland and foreshore around the lighthouse are freely accessible on foot. Visitors can access the area along the Mumbles Pier promenade from Mumbles village, with car parking and bus services available at Mumbles Road terminus.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

The immediate setting features rugged limestone cliffs and tidal rock ledges known as the "Oystermouth Rocks". The views offer a panorama over Swansea Bay, the Gower Peninsula to the west, and the city of Swansea to the east. Wildlife sightings include seabirds, seals, and porpoises.

8. Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse was originally manned by resident keepers but was automated in the mid-20th century. Power comes from mains electricity with battery backup, monitored and controlled remotely from Trinity House's planning and operations centre.

9. Further Information

For further reading and links, visit Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbles_Lighthouse, Trinity House official site at www.trinityhouse.co.uk/lighthouses-and-lightvessels/mumbles-head, or US NGA Light List (Pub. 114), entry A 5358.