West Usk Lighthouse was built in 1821 by James Walker, a Scottish civil engineer who went on to build a further 21 lighthouses. Grade II-listed, the lighthouse is of an unusual design, having all the living accommodation ranged about the tower in the form of a drum. Accordingly, all the rooms are wedge-shaped. The norm was for a separate cottage, or separate cottages, for the keepers.
The lighthouse looks out over the River Usk and the Bristol Channel, where the tide is the second fastest in the world. It stood upon an island until 1856, when what is now the surrounding land was reclaimed for farming. The light was decommissioned in 1922, and the building became a private house. It was saved from dereliction in 1987, and now operates as a bed and breakfast establishment.
No comments:
Post a Comment