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Killantringan Lighthouse

aka Black Head Lighthouse

Wigtownshire

Location Guide

Photo by: Gordon Brown

The 1900's opened with two new lights on the West Coast of Scotland - Tiumpan Head Lighthouse, near Stornoway and this one on Black Head, on the western side of the Rhins of Galloway about 1.5 miles north of Portpatrick in Wigtownshire. The go ahead to build a lighthouse at Blackhead was granted in 1897 and it became operational in 1900.

It was not to be long before this light proved its worth. On 26 November 1900, the Principal Lightkeeper noticed a fishing boat in distress and fired a rocket to summon the lifeboat from Portpatrick, which took the crew off and towed the boat into the harbour. There have been many incidents since then, the most recent being in 1982 when a container ship ran aground.

It was automated in 1988 but in 2005 a review took place of all navigational aids around the coast of the British Isles, both in isolation and their worth together. As a result of this it was decided that Killantringan was no longer required, so it's light was switched off on 11 July 2007 and since has been inactive.

The keeper's house is now a private residence and is holiday accommodation, but the lighthouse can be seen from nearby.

Photo by Ann Cook

Nearby lighthouses are Corsewall Lighthouse at Kirkcolm, just 15 miles away and the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse, 25 miles away.


Lighthouse information Grid

Name:

Killantringan Lighthouse, Wigtownshire

Current status:

Discontinued 2007

Geographic Position:

54° 51.7'N   05° 08.7'W

Grid Reference:

NW981564

Ceremonial County:

Wigtownshire

Appearance:

White tower with 63 steps to top of tower, with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1 storey keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with buff trim, lantern painted black.

Map Link:

Multimap

Aerial photo:

Marinas.com

Other photos:

photo

Originally built:

1900

Current lighthouse built:

 

Height of Tower:

22 metres

Height of light above mean sea level:

49 metres

Character of light:

Was Flashing (2) White every 15 secs

Character of fog signal:

 

Range of light:

25 nautical miles

Owned / run by:

Northern Lighthouse Board

Getting there:

Off the B738 highway, there is also a walking trail, the first section of the Southern Upland Way, from Portpatrick which goes past it.

Access:

Site and tower closed, now privately owned, but the lighthouse can be seen from nearby. There is parking nearby for access to Killantringan Bay and it will be seen from here. A footpath also walks by it.

Website:

NLB  

Other Useful Websites:

Killantringan Self Catering Accommodation

Routes:  
Other Relevant pages:

For more articles, lists and other information see the Lighthouses Section

Lighthouse Map of Scotland

Featured List of lighthouses - Scotland 

List of minor lighthouses and lights - Scotland  

Tiumpan Head Lighthouse

Corsewall Lighthouse

Mull of Galloway Lighthouse

Notes:

 

Please let us know any other information that we can add to the Grid or page and any errors that you discover. Before making a long trip to any location it is always wise to double check the current information, websites like magazines may be correct at the time the information is written, but things change and it is of course impossible to double check all entries on a regular basis. If you have any good photographs that you feel would improve the illustration of this page then please let us have copies. In referring to this page it is helpful if you quote both the Page Ref and Topic or Section references from the Grid below. To print the planning grid select it then right click and print the selected area.

Please submit information on locations you discover so that this system continues to grow.

 


By: Tracey Park   Section:  Lighthouses Section Key:
Page Ref: Killantringan Topic: Lighthouses Last Updated: 06/2010

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