Old Law Beacons, October 2007; East Beacon on the left, West Beacon on the right
photo copyright Ian Wright, used by permission
Thanks to Ian Wright for this photo of the beacons, and to Michel Forand for researching their history.
Old Law Beacons, October 2007; East Beacon on the left,
West Beacon on the right
photo copyright Ian Wright, used by permission
The Old Law Beacons stand at the tip of a sandy spit on the south side of the entrance to Holy Island Harbour. Vessels entering the harbor lined up the two beacons on a bearing of 260° (just south of due west) before turning sharply northward as they approached the tip of the spit.
The beacons were constructed as a day range and no provision was made for lighting them, probably because it was considered too dangerous to enter the harbor at night. It is not clear exactly when the towers were built. The Trinity House web site dates them to 1859. Tony Denton, in Lighthouses of England and Wales: A Complete Guide, writes that they were designed for Trinity House by John Dobson, a Newcastle architect, and built between 1820 and 1840.
The Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals does not show any light on either beacon prior to the 1993 edition, when a light was listed on the East Beacon. However, it is possible that an unofficial light was displayed for some time before this date. In 1995 Trinity House assumed responsibility for the operation of the light and installed new equipment.
The solar-powered directional light shows the white "in-channel" light on a bearing of 264°, indicating a small change in the direction of the approach channel. The light cannot be seen in the photo above. It is mounted low on the opposite side of the tower, about 7 m (23 ft) above ground level and 9 m (30 ft) above mean high water.
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