OLD LIGHT (4)
The keepers' quarters of the Old Light, Lundy, from the SE.
Peregrine Harriers(*) Expedition 3, November 5-10, 2006: North Devon including Lundy (#1)
Completed 1819-1820. Built of Lundy Granite (Paleocene, c. 60 million years old).
(I wish I hadn't managed to cut off the top of the chimney stack.)
The substantial structure is obviously meant to withstand strong gales. The open Atlantic Ocean is to the L. The unusual structure of the eaves and corner pillar is presumably for this reason. I think the roof tiles are made of copper. On this, our first trip to Lundy, our party stayed in these keepers' quarters and in the adjacent building (out of sight to R). The stonework is just a little pinkish instead of the usual pale grey of Lundy Granite, because it is catching some rose-coloured light of the early stages of the sunset. Jill is on the L.
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THE OLD LIGHT: BACKGROUND
Being a rocky island surrounded by cliffs, and in a busy shipping lane open to the Atlantic Ocean, Lundy has always been a major hazard, and has a long history of wrecks. Ideas for a lighthouse on Lundy began in 1786. The site chosen here was Beacon Hill, 122 m (470 ft) above sea level. Foundations were begun in 1787, but after a long delay, the lighthouse and keepers' quarters (on R) were eventually built in a year in 1819-1820. It was the highest location for a lighthouse in Britain. It was built substantially out of large blocks of Lundy Granite to withstand Atlantic gales, and incorporated many innovations. But at this height, and in this location, it was also prone to low cloud when there was good visibility at sea level. Less elevated lighthouses, one at each end of the island, were built to replace it in 1896-7, and the Old Light abandoned. The Old Light and keepers' quarters were designed by Daniel Asher Alexander, with the working interiors inspired by Piranesi's prints. It is now used for visitor accommodation, managed by the Landmark Trust.
--- www.landmarktrust.org.uk/our-landmarks/properties/le-moul...
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* PEREGRINE HARRIERS
This was our first stay on Lundy with our little natural history and geology group, the 'Peregrine Harriers'. We do a trip each year. Our name, a fusion of two different birds of prey, dates from our this visit to Lundy. It is a self-confession of our inability to identify birds of prey.
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LUNDY
Lundy is an island off North Devon at the mouth of the Bristol Channel where it faces the open Atlantic Ocean. (In some interpretations of the island's name, the 'y' means 'island' in which case, it is tautological to refer to it as (e.g.) 'The island of Lundy'.) It is the biggest island in the Bristol Channel and is 4.88 Km long (N-S) and about 1.5 Km wide at its widest point. Most of the island consists of granite, and is plateau-like, around 120 m above sea level. The island is one-third closer to Devon to the S, than to South Wales to the N, on the opposite shore of the Bristol Channel. It currently takes 2 hours by the summer ferry service from Ilfracombe or Bideford, or about 10 minutes by the winter helicopter service from Hartland Point.
Lundy is administratively part of the Torridge District in North Devon. It is owned by the National Trust. it is sparsely inhabited and farmed mostly for livestock. There are no roads, only footpaths and rough tracks. It is traffic-free apart from a few farm and utility vehicles. But it has an airstrip - a broad flat field used by private light aircraft from time to time - and the local helicopter service uses a field near the village. A scattering of 23 houses and other buildings offer good accommodation by the Landmark Trust. Its attractions are mainly its natural history, above and below water, and its spectacular cliff and tor scenery. It has interesting history. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is Britain's first designated Marine Conservation Area.
--- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lundy
--- www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lundy/
--- www.landmarktrust.org.uk/Lundyisland/
----------
Photo
Brian Roy Rosen
Photo taken November 8, 2006 on a Nikon F601 with Nikon AF 35-80 mm lens, processed and scanned by Bonusprint.
(Flickr 'taken' date and exif data are for the Bonusprint scan.)
Uploaded to Flickr August 12, 2014
© Darkroom Daze Creative Commons.
If you would like to use or refer to this image, please link or attribute.
ID: 014_11 - Version 2
OLD LIGHT (4)
The keepers' quarters of the Old Light, Lundy, from the SE.
Peregrine Harriers(*) Expedition 3, November 5-10, 2006: North Devon including Lundy (#1)
Completed 1819-1820. Built of Lundy Granite (Paleocene, c. 60 million years old).
(I wish I hadn't managed to cut off the top of the chimney stack.)
The substantial structure is obviously meant to withstand strong gales. The open Atlantic Ocean is to the L. The unusual structure of the eaves and corner pillar is presumably for this reason. I think the roof tiles are made of copper. On this, our first trip to Lundy, our party stayed in these keepers' quarters and in the adjacent building (out of sight to R). The stonework is just a little pinkish instead of the usual pale grey of Lundy Granite, because it is catching some rose-coloured light of the early stages of the sunset. Jill is on the L.
----------
THE OLD LIGHT: BACKGROUND
Being a rocky island surrounded by cliffs, and in a busy shipping lane open to the Atlantic Ocean, Lundy has always been a major hazard, and has a long history of wrecks. Ideas for a lighthouse on Lundy began in 1786. The site chosen here was Beacon Hill, 122 m (470 ft) above sea level. Foundations were begun in 1787, but after a long delay, the lighthouse and keepers' quarters (on R) were eventually built in a year in 1819-1820. It was the highest location for a lighthouse in Britain. It was built substantially out of large blocks of Lundy Granite to withstand Atlantic gales, and incorporated many innovations. But at this height, and in this location, it was also prone to low cloud when there was good visibility at sea level. Less elevated lighthouses, one at each end of the island, were built to replace it in 1896-7, and the Old Light abandoned. The Old Light and keepers' quarters were designed by Daniel Asher Alexander, with the working interiors inspired by Piranesi's prints. It is now used for visitor accommodation, managed by the Landmark Trust.
--- www.landmarktrust.org.uk/our-landmarks/properties/le-moul...
----------
* PEREGRINE HARRIERS
This was our first stay on Lundy with our little natural history and geology group, the 'Peregrine Harriers'. We do a trip each year. Our name, a fusion of two different birds of prey, dates from our this visit to Lundy. It is a self-confession of our inability to identify birds of prey.
----------
LUNDY
Lundy is an island off North Devon at the mouth of the Bristol Channel where it faces the open Atlantic Ocean. (In some interpretations of the island's name, the 'y' means 'island' in which case, it is tautological to refer to it as (e.g.) 'The island of Lundy'.) It is the biggest island in the Bristol Channel and is 4.88 Km long (N-S) and about 1.5 Km wide at its widest point. Most of the island consists of granite, and is plateau-like, around 120 m above sea level. The island is one-third closer to Devon to the S, than to South Wales to the N, on the opposite shore of the Bristol Channel. It currently takes 2 hours by the summer ferry service from Ilfracombe or Bideford, or about 10 minutes by the winter helicopter service from Hartland Point.
Lundy is administratively part of the Torridge District in North Devon. It is owned by the National Trust. it is sparsely inhabited and farmed mostly for livestock. There are no roads, only footpaths and rough tracks. It is traffic-free apart from a few farm and utility vehicles. But it has an airstrip - a broad flat field used by private light aircraft from time to time - and the local helicopter service uses a field near the village. A scattering of 23 houses and other buildings offer good accommodation by the Landmark Trust. Its attractions are mainly its natural history, above and below water, and its spectacular cliff and tor scenery. It has interesting history. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is Britain's first designated Marine Conservation Area.
--- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lundy
--- www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lundy/
--- www.landmarktrust.org.uk/Lundyisland/
----------
Photo
Brian Roy Rosen
Photo taken November 8, 2006 on a Nikon F601 with Nikon AF 35-80 mm lens, processed and scanned by Bonusprint.
(Flickr 'taken' date and exif data are for the Bonusprint scan.)
Uploaded to Flickr August 12, 2014
© Darkroom Daze Creative Commons.
If you would like to use or refer to this image, please link or attribute.
ID: 014_11 - Version 2