Old Beacon Lighthouse, Lundy Island

The Old Beacon Lighthouse on Lundy Island is an island lighthouse abandoned within a year of being illuminated, as it was always in the mist.

old lighthouse on Lundy Island from across the meadow

Rising high above the whole island is the Old Beacon Lighthouse. A light had been planned for this spot since the foundation was laid in 1787.  Finally built in 1819 by Joseph Nelson at a cost of £36,000, it was first used on 21st February 1820.  For a while, it held the prestigious title of being the tallest lighthouse in the country. 

However, the ambition of Daniel Alexander, the architect, was beaten by Mother Nature. Shortly after it was built, the fogs and mists that plagued this coastline proved to be better than the lighthouse. A lighthouse that is useless as soon as the fog descends is soon obsolete!  In 1829, a lower light was introduced in an attempt to beat the fog; however, this was not ideal.

lower light on the ld Beacon on Lundy

This was propelled by the wrecking of the La Jeune Emma, which travelled from Martinique to Cherbourg in 1828. She arrived in Carmarthen Bay in thick fog, mistook the Lundy lights for the fixed light of Ushant, and went onto the rocks. Of the 19 people on board, 13 were lost, including a niece of the Empress Josephine.

In a further attempt to beat the fog, a fog warning battery was built in 1861, but this was still not ideal, so in 1897, the North and South Lighthouses were built, which remain in use today.  This meant the Old lighthouse was no longer needed and was switched off permanently.

It still dominates the landscape on a clear day and can be seen from most locations on the island as well as during the approach.  On a clear day, it is hard to believe that this magnificent structure failed in its purpose.

Lundy old beacon in south west England with blue sky and clouds

Visiting the Old Beacon

The Lundy Island and the Old Beacon are reached by boat from Ilfracombe on the North Devon coast in southwest England.  These run daily throughout the summer months, and full details are available on the Landmark Trust and National Trust websites.  From the Quay, the Old Beacon is about a 45-minute walk.  It is open to explore, and the views from the deckchairs at the top are spectacular.  The keepers’ cottages are now holiday cottages.

There are two other lighthouses on Lundy Island: the North Lighthouse and the South Lighthouse.

I'm Suzanne the traveller and photographer behind Meandering Wild. With over 30 years of experience travelling to different corners of the world in search of wildlife and remote locations nearly all of the advice on this website is from my own exploring.