Longships

Longships is the name given to a group of rocks situated 1.25 miles to the west of Land's End, in Cornwall, United Kingdom.

A lighthouse () is situated at Longships. The original was built in 1795 on the highest point of the largest rock. However, this was only 40 feet (12 m) above sea level, and the tower itself was only 40 feet (12 m) tall. High seas therefore obscured its light resulting in Trinity House making the decision to build a taller tower.

In 1869 Trinity house instructed William Douglass to begin plans for a new lighthouse. The building of the new tower started in 1870 using much of the equipment that had previously been used in the construction of the Wolf Rock Lighthouse. The tower was first lit in December 1873 having cost £43,870 to build. Even after these improvements, the S.S. Bluejacket was wrecked on rocks near the lighthouse on a clear night in 1898, nearly demolishing the lighthouse in the process.

Since 1988, the lighthouse has been unmanned. Its light is 10 seconds bright followed by 10 seconds dark, and has a range of 19 miles (31 km). A fog signal sounds every 10 seconds.

The gullies, canyons, prolific marine life and shipwrecks at Longships make it a popular diving location.

References

External links

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
Poole Buoy
29 October 2012
Not sure if I would like to live in a lighthouse
Load more comments
foursquare.com
4.4/10
410 people have been here
Map
3km from South West Coast Path, Penzance, Cornwall TR19, UK Get directions

Wolf Rock Lighthouse on Foursquare

Longships on Facebook

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
The Commercial

starting $129

Sennen Cove Cottage

starting $219

The Land's End Hotel

starting $105

YHA Lands End Hostel

starting $21

Cape Cornwall Golf & Leisure

starting $117

The Wellington

starting $124

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Land's End

Land's End (Cornish: Penn an Wlas or Pedn an Wlas) is a headland and

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Sennen Cove

Sennen Cove (Cornish: Porthsenen) (grid reference ) is a small coastal

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape

The Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape is a World Heritage Site

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Geevor Tin Mine

Geevor Tin Mine was a tin mine in the far southwest of Cornwall,

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Lanyon Quoit

Lanyon Quoit is a dolmen in Cornwall. It stands next to the road

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Mên-an-Tol

The Mên-an-Tol (also Men an Toll) is a small formation of standing

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Castle Horneck

Castle Horneck is also referred to as Castle Hornocke (Early Modern

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
St Michael's Mount

St Michael's Mount (Cornish: Karrek Loos yn Koos, meaning 'hoar rock

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty (French: Statue de la Liberté), officially

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Monument to the Independence of Brazil

The Monument to the Independence of Brazil (Portuguese: Monumento à

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Seven Magic Mountains

Ugo Rondinone (born 1964) is a New York-based, Swiss-born mixed-media

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Statue of Janko Kráľ

Statue of Janko Kráľ is located in the middle of Sad Janka Kráľa (li

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Tower of the Sun

The Tower of the Sun (太陽の塔, Taiyō no Tō) is a building created b

See all similar places