Treacherous waters
This week's Saturday Timewatch features two of the three lighthouses that for centuries have warned shipping of treacherous waters around the Isle of Portland.
The white building is the Old Lower Lighthouse. Working alongside the Old Higher Lighthouse it was active from 1716 - 1906. It has been the Portland Bird Observatory since 1961 and is a Grade 11 Listed Building.
The red and white building in the distance is the current Portland Bill Lighthouse, active since 1906 to this day. Sadly, two fantastic features are no longer active as a result of recent 'modernisations'. The fog horn was switched off in 2017. A superb light that beamed out into the Channel (see below) was switched off in 2019. It has been replaced by a new light that doesn't sweep across the horizon but instead simply flashes. It is barely visible from the land which in my opinion is really a shame. It was such a feature of a night time visit to the island.
The fog horn sounded great as well...unless you were stood next to it!!!
Treacherous waters
This week's Saturday Timewatch features two of the three lighthouses that for centuries have warned shipping of treacherous waters around the Isle of Portland.
The white building is the Old Lower Lighthouse. Working alongside the Old Higher Lighthouse it was active from 1716 - 1906. It has been the Portland Bird Observatory since 1961 and is a Grade 11 Listed Building.
The red and white building in the distance is the current Portland Bill Lighthouse, active since 1906 to this day. Sadly, two fantastic features are no longer active as a result of recent 'modernisations'. The fog horn was switched off in 2017. A superb light that beamed out into the Channel (see below) was switched off in 2019. It has been replaced by a new light that doesn't sweep across the horizon but instead simply flashes. It is barely visible from the land which in my opinion is really a shame. It was such a feature of a night time visit to the island.
The fog horn sounded great as well...unless you were stood next to it!!!