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Amlwch Lighthouse

Coordinates: 53°24′55″N 4°19′59″W / 53.4154°N 4.3330°W / 53.4154; -4.3330
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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by John of Reading (talk | contribs) at 09:04, 10 February 2014 (Typo/general fixing, replaced: on on → on, typo(s) fixed: high water mark → high-water mark using AWB). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Amlwch lighthouse
Map
LocationAmlwch, Anglesey, Wales
Coordinates53°24′55″N 4°19′59″W / 53.4154°N 4.333°W / 53.4154; -4.333
Tower
Constructed1853
Constructionashlar masonry
Height15 feet (4.6 m)
Shapesquare
Markingsnone
HeritageGrade II listed building, National Monuments of Wales Edit this on Wikidata
Light
First lit1853
Deactivatedc 1972
Range6 miles (5.2 nmi; 9.7 km)
Characteristictapered tower

The Amlwch lighthouse (Grid reference: SH 452937) is a lighthouse tower situated on the outer pier of Amlwch, at the northeast tip of Anglesey, Wales. The existing lighthouse, a square tower erected in 1853, is the fourth on this site. It has original fine, but battered, ashlar masonry to a height of 4.6 metres (15 ft); the present lantern was added on top at a later date.

History

Two short piers at Amlwch were built following a private Act of Parliament of 1743, when the harbour was improved. Two octagonal houses, with small lanterns protruding from the roof, were added. They were described in the New Seaman’s Guide as "small white houses displaying lights at night".

In 1816 an outer pier, about 46 metres (151 ft) long, was built to give shipping extra protection inside the harbour. In 1817, a small lighthouse with a light 8.5 metres (28 ft) above high-water mark was built, subsequently replaced with the present lighthouse.

The drydock and lighthouse on the small creek at Amlwch once served the shipping of one of the largest copper mines in Europe, located at Parys Mountain. The significance of the early copper-exporting port at Amlwch makes the lighthouse part of a heritage site of international importance.

References

Hague, D. B., Lighthouses of Wales: Their Architecture and Archaeology (Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, edited by Hughes, S., 1994) ISBN 1-871184-08-8

53°24′55″N 4°19′59″W / 53.4154°N 4.3330°W / 53.4154; -4.3330