Ailsa Craig, Foreland Point, Lighthouse, Keepers' Cottages And Foghorn

Also known as

South Port; Ailsa Craig Light; Trumpet House; Firth Of Clyde

Classifications:Lighthouse(19th Century),Fog Horn(19th Century),Lighthouse Keepers House(19th Century) (Plural)

This place may be a listed building, scheduled monument or other designation.Check for designation records

Location Details

Local authority: South Ayrshire

Parish: Dailly

Former region: Strathclyde

Former district: Kyle And Carrick

Former county: Ayrshire

Location accurate to the nearest 1 metre.

British National Grid (BNG) Coordinates: 202521, 599706

Ordnance Survey (OS) National Grid Reference: NX 02521 99706

Latitude: 55.25188Longitude: -5.10860

Datum: OSGB36 - NGR

Further details

Site number: NX09NW 5

National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) ID: 157548

1 Note

Category: Descriptive accounts

Event reference: 802114

NX09NW 5.00 02521 99706

NX09NW 5.01 Centred NX 02414 99776 Gas Works
NX09NW 5.02 NX 02453 99885 Pier (Highlandman's Walk)

See also:
NS00SW 2 NS 01913 00402 Fog Horn (Northern Horn House)

Name: Ailsa Craig (1882-6)
Location: N55 15 W5 06 Firth of Clyde, 10 miles W of Girvan
Designed and built: Thomas and David A Stevenson
Light first exhibited: 15 June 1886
Description: circular stone tower, painted white
Height of light above MHW: 59ft (18m)
Height of tower: 36ft (11m)
Light source and characteristics: W Fl (1) ev 4 secs 20. Acetylene: 40,000cp: nominal range 17nm
Fog warning apparatus: Discontinued
Manning: unwatched (automatic since 30 March 1990), monitored from Northern Lighthouse Board HQ, Edinburgh
Solar panels installed as part of automation process. Listed
C Nicholson 1995.

This island lighthouse is situated on the SE side of the prominent high island (also known as 'Paddy's Milestone') from which it takes its name. It guards the W side of the main entrance into the Firth of Clyde, and is notable for the addition of a complex system of fog signals.
Built by Thomas and D A Stevenson, the light was established in 1886 and automated in 1990. Two fog signals (in 'horn houses') were established at opposite ends of the island in 1883-6, being powered by gas supplied from a central gasworks (NX09NW 5.01) just NW of the tower. These were replaced by a Tyfon system (situated close to the tower) in 1966.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 26 April 2006.
R W Munro 1979; K Allardyce and E M Hood 1986; S Krauskopf 2001.

Light House [NAT]
OS (GIS) MasterMap, May 2010.


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Archive referenceTitleCatalogue levelPreview
551 165/47Foreland Point, Ailsa CraigBatch (File)
AY 3032View of north fog horn, Ailsa CraigItem
D 32376Photographic copy of drawing of engine house and tower. Elevation of engine-house and tower. Section thru tower and engine house.. East elevation of engine house.Northern Lights, Sheet No.5Item
D 57364General oblique aerial view centred on Ailsa Craig, the lighthouse, cottages and foghorn taken from the NNW.Item
D 57365General oblique aerial view centred on Ailsa Craig, the lighthouse, cottages and foghorn taken from the WNW.Item
D 57367General oblique aerial view centred on Ailsa Craig, the lighthouse, cottages, foghorn and castle, taken from the SW.Item
D 57368General oblique aerial view centred on Ailsa Craig, the lighthouse, cottages, foghorn and castle, taken from the SW.Item
D 57369General oblique aerial view centred on Ailsa Craig, the lighthouse, cottages, foghorn and castle, taken from the SSE.Item
D 57370General oblique aerial view centred on Ailsa Craig, the lighthouse, cottages, foghorn and castle, taken from the SE.Item
D 57371General oblique aerial view centred on Ailsa Craig, the lighthouse, cottages, foghorn and castle, taken from the E.Item

References

Allardyce and Hood K and E M. (1986)At Scotland's edge: a celebration of two hundred years of the lighthouse service in Scotland and the Isle of Man, Glasgow. Page(s): 43, 44, 50, 96-7 pls. pp. 96-7 RCAHMS Shelf Number: J.6.4.ALL

Close R. (1992)Ayrshire and Arran: an illustrated architectural guide,R I A S / Landmark Trust series. {s.l.} (Edinburgh). Page(s): 198 pl. p. 198 RCAHMS Shelf Number: D.5.AYR

Hill P. (2003)Stargazing: memoirs of a young lighthouse keeper, Edinburgh. Page(s): passim. esp. 189-259

Krauskopf S. (2001)Scottish Lighthouses, Belfast. Page(s): 16 RCAHMS Shelf Number: J.6.4.KRA

Morrison-Low A D. (2010)Northern Lights: The Age of Scottish Lighthouses, Edinburgh. Page(s): 262 RCAHMS Shelf Number: J.6.4.MOR

Munro R W. (1979)Scottish lighthouses, Stornoway. Page(s): 148, 153-4, 164, 182, 190, 240, 247, 275, 278 pls. pp. 153, 154, 233 RCAHMS Shelf Number: J.6.4.MUN

Nicholson C. (1995)Rock lighthouses of Britain: the end of an era?, Latheronwheel, Caithness. Page(s): 203 RCAHMS Shelf Number: J.6.4.NIC

Paxton and Shipway R and J. (2007)Civil engineering heritage: Scotland - Lowlands and Borders, London. Page(s): 283-84 RCAHMS Shelf Number: J.5.41.PAX

Renton A. (2001)Lost sounds: the story of coast fog signals, Latheronwheel. Page(s): 69-74, 75, 178 pl. p. 73 RCAHMS Shelf Number: J.6.4.REN

[Admiralty]. (1980)Admiralty list of lights and fog signals: volume A: British Isles and north coast of France from Dunkerque to entrance to Goulet de Brest including North Sea oil and gas production installations, {s.l.}. Page(s): 290, no. 4582 RCAHMS Shelf Number: J.6.4.ADM

Public Contributions

Mark JohnstoneOctober 26, 2024

Place:Ailsa Craig Lighthouse

Image - Ailsa Craig Lighthouse
Mark JohnstoneOctober 26, 2024

Place:Ailsa Craig Lighthouse

Image - Ailsa Craig Lighthouse
Mark JohnstoneOctober 26, 2024

Place:Ailsa Craig Lighthouse

Image - Ailsa Craig Lighthouse