Bobby Joe's
South Rock (Kilwarlin) Lighthouse.
In 1701, William Montgomery (1633-1707) of 'Greyabbey House', Greyabbey, County Down, in his updated Topographical description of the 'Ardes', wrote about the hazards of the coastline of the Ard's Peninsula referring to the importance of a local landmark, 'Kirkistown Windmill', as an aid to navigation;
'Is seen far off at sea, and serves in day-time in good steade as a landmark for saylors to avoyd the north and south rocks whare noted in all mapps for the misfortune that ships especially foreigners have had on them in stormy and dark weather. So that it were to be wished that a lighthouse were to be erected and maintained there'.
Over 40 years later the Irish historian, Walter Harris (1686 - 1761), wrote; 'But beware of the South Rock on which many brave ships have perished; for it overflowed every tide, and no crew can save their lives {as it stands a full mile from the shore} if the winds blow high.'
In 1783 the newly formed Belfast Chamber of Commerce, in a petition to the Irish House of Commons, requested that a lighthouse be erected at the 'South Rock' and advised that between 1735 and 1768 sixty-four vessels had been lost in this area and, as a consequence, 253 persons had perished.
With the financial and lobbying support of Lord Kilwarlin, 2nd Marquiss of Downshire, a grant of £1,400 was obtained to assist in the building of a lighthouse on the South Rock by resolution of the Irish House of Commons on 14 November 1783.
'Resolved, That the sum of £1,400 be granted to the Right Honourable Lord Kilwarlin, Robert Ross Esq and George Hamilton Esq towards erecting a light house on the south rock on the east coast of the county of Down'
However, it was not until 1793, ten years later, that construction began.
The lighthouse was designed and built under the supervision of Thomas Rogers, lit for the first time on 25 March 1797 and named the 'Kilwarlin Light' in honour of the Marquiss. Only two 'wave washed' lighthouses, the Eddystone and Bell Rock lighthouses, had been built earlier.
Thomas Rogers, an englishman, had hithertoo been involved with the design and supply of lamps, reflectors and lenses for use in lighthouses with his business partner, George Robinson, who was an optical engineer. In 1789 Rogers was contacted by a representative of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, the Marquis of Buckingham, offering him the commission to design and construct a new lighthouse at Howth, County Dublin, to replace the one already in existance. Rogers accepted the commission and henceforth became much involved in the construction and design of lighthouses around the coastline of Ireland. He was credited with the design and the building of several lighthouses including; Aranmore Island, Cranfield, Howth, Loophead, Old Head of Kinsale, etc.
Rogers was also responsible for improving the lights of various lighthouses, including that on the Copeland Islands, altering it from candle power to that of oil. The new lantern he helped to develop consisted of six Argand oil lamps (invented and patened in 1780 by the frenchman Aimé Argand). Rogers fitted each lamp with a silvered copper parabolic refelector, that focused the light from each lamp through six bulls-eye lenses.
The Belfast Newsletter of 19 July 1793 reported;
'Mr Rogers an emininent artist has now begun the lighthouse on the South Rock, under the patronage of the Earl of Hillsborough. The several lighthouses now in the Kingdom have been viewed by Mr Rogers preparatory to their being improved'
When construction of the Kilwarlin Lighthouse began in 1793 plans to use finished stone blocks from Wexford had to be abandoned after the first supply vessel sank on passage and the second was driven well off course onto the English coast. It was then decided to use local granite from a quarry near Newry, County Down, and a squad of 20 masons, 18 labourers, 2 smyths and 2 foremen were employed. They were based in the townland of Newcastle on the Ard's Peninsula (Note : not the town of Newcastle, County Down) where a masonary platform and a short quay was built, from where the construction materials were transported to the South Rock.
South Rock (Kilwarlin) Lighthouse.
In 1701, William Montgomery (1633-1707) of 'Greyabbey House', Greyabbey, County Down, in his updated Topographical description of the 'Ardes', wrote about the hazards of the coastline of the Ard's Peninsula referring to the importance of a local landmark, 'Kirkistown Windmill', as an aid to navigation;
'Is seen far off at sea, and serves in day-time in good steade as a landmark for saylors to avoyd the north and south rocks whare noted in all mapps for the misfortune that ships especially foreigners have had on them in stormy and dark weather. So that it were to be wished that a lighthouse were to be erected and maintained there'.
Over 40 years later the Irish historian, Walter Harris (1686 - 1761), wrote; 'But beware of the South Rock on which many brave ships have perished; for it overflowed every tide, and no crew can save their lives {as it stands a full mile from the shore} if the winds blow high.'
In 1783 the newly formed Belfast Chamber of Commerce, in a petition to the Irish House of Commons, requested that a lighthouse be erected at the 'South Rock' and advised that between 1735 and 1768 sixty-four vessels had been lost in this area and, as a consequence, 253 persons had perished.
With the financial and lobbying support of Lord Kilwarlin, 2nd Marquiss of Downshire, a grant of £1,400 was obtained to assist in the building of a lighthouse on the South Rock by resolution of the Irish House of Commons on 14 November 1783.
'Resolved, That the sum of £1,400 be granted to the Right Honourable Lord Kilwarlin, Robert Ross Esq and George Hamilton Esq towards erecting a light house on the south rock on the east coast of the county of Down'
However, it was not until 1793, ten years later, that construction began.
The lighthouse was designed and built under the supervision of Thomas Rogers, lit for the first time on 25 March 1797 and named the 'Kilwarlin Light' in honour of the Marquiss. Only two 'wave washed' lighthouses, the Eddystone and Bell Rock lighthouses, had been built earlier.
Thomas Rogers, an englishman, had hithertoo been involved with the design and supply of lamps, reflectors and lenses for use in lighthouses with his business partner, George Robinson, who was an optical engineer. In 1789 Rogers was contacted by a representative of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, the Marquis of Buckingham, offering him the commission to design and construct a new lighthouse at Howth, County Dublin, to replace the one already in existance. Rogers accepted the commission and henceforth became much involved in the construction and design of lighthouses around the coastline of Ireland. He was credited with the design and the building of several lighthouses including; Aranmore Island, Cranfield, Howth, Loophead, Old Head of Kinsale, etc.
Rogers was also responsible for improving the lights of various lighthouses, including that on the Copeland Islands, altering it from candle power to that of oil. The new lantern he helped to develop consisted of six Argand oil lamps (invented and patened in 1780 by the frenchman Aimé Argand). Rogers fitted each lamp with a silvered copper parabolic refelector, that focused the light from each lamp through six bulls-eye lenses.
The Belfast Newsletter of 19 July 1793 reported;
'Mr Rogers an emininent artist has now begun the lighthouse on the South Rock, under the patronage of the Earl of Hillsborough. The several lighthouses now in the Kingdom have been viewed by Mr Rogers preparatory to their being improved'
When construction of the Kilwarlin Lighthouse began in 1793 plans to use finished stone blocks from Wexford had to be abandoned after the first supply vessel sank on passage and the second was driven well off course onto the English coast. It was then decided to use local granite from a quarry near Newry, County Down, and a squad of 20 masons, 18 labourers, 2 smyths and 2 foremen were employed. They were based in the townland of Newcastle on the Ard's Peninsula (Note : not the town of Newcastle, County Down) where a masonary platform and a short quay was built, from where the construction materials were transported to the South Rock.