- Smalls Lighthouse
Smalls Lighthouse stands on a small rock approximately 20 miles (≈32 km) west of St. David's Peninsula in
Pembrokeshire ,Wales . It was erected in1861 by engineer James Douglass to replace a previous lighthouse which had been erected in1776 on the same rock. The lighthouse is the most remote lighthouse operated by Trinity housecite book |title= Rock lighthouses of Britain The end of an era? |last= Nicholson |first= Christopher |year=1995 |publisher= Whittles Publishing |isbn=1870325419 |pages=p.53] .The Previous House
The original Smalls Lighthouse was erected over 1775 and 1776, on the plans of Liverpool musical instrument maker
Henry Whiteside . The bold design stood on nine oak pillars, in order to allow the raging seas to pass through. It suffered from some rocking, but stood for 80 years. During its life a significant number of extra struts were added beyond the original ninecite book |title= Rock lighthouses of Britain The end of an era? |last= Nicholson |first= Christopher |year=1995 |publisher= Whittles Publishing |isbn=1870325419 |pages=p.60] . The pillar-based design has since been used successfully in many sea structures.The old lighthouse was the home of an unusual level of intrigue. The first message in a bottle was successfully sent from the small island, reaching its addressee through the miles of sea, and allowing a rescue of stranded repair workers, including Whiteside himself.
More disturbingly, the old lighthouse brought about a change in lighthouse policy in 1801 after a gruesome episode. The two man team, Thomas Howell and Thomas Griffith, were known to quarrel, and so when Griffith died in a freak accident, Howell feared that he might be suspected of murder if he discarded the body into the sea.cite book |title= Rock lighthouses of Britain The end of an era? |last= Nicholson |first= Christopher |year=1995 |publisher= Whittles Publishing |isbn=1870325419 |pages=pp.58-59] As the body began to decompose, Howell built a makeshift coffin for the corpse and lashed it to an outside shelf. Stiff winds blew the box apart, though, and the body's arm fell within view of the hut's window and caused the wind to catch it in such a way that it seemed as though it was beckoning. Working alone and with the decaying corpse of his former college outside Howell managed to keep the lamp lit every night.
When Howell was finally relived from the lighthouse the effect the situation had had on him was said to be so extreme that some of his friends didn't recognise him.
Lighthouse teams were changed to rosters of three from this point on until the automation of all British lighthouses in the 1980s.
The currentlighthouse
In 1859 trinity house haveing brought out the previous leaseholders in 1836 began the construction of a new tower.cite book |title= Rock lighthouses of Britain The end of an era? |last= Nicholson |first= Christopher |year=1995 |publisher= Whittles Publishing |isbn=1870325419 |pages=p.61] . The tower was completed in 1861.cite book |title= Rock lighthouses of Britain The end of an era? |last= Nicholson |first= Christopher |year=1995 |publisher= Whittles Publishing |isbn=1870325419 |pages=p.62] .
In 1978 a helideck was erected above the lantern and the lighthouse was automated in 1987.
The story of this lighthouse was presented in the Series 1 episode of the
BBC television program Coast entitled "Bristol to Fishguard".References
External links
* [http://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/interactive/gallery/smalls.html Smalls Lighthouse]
*gbmapping|SM466089
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
