History, Stories, Biographies & Light Keeper's Duties

Timeline

View our timeline for the full history of the development of Scottish Lighthouses to the present day. Below are some of the key moments in lighthouse history.

• 1635 - Isle of May Lighthouse conceived
• 1786 - Creation of a Northern Lighthouse Trust
• 1787 - Alterations to Kinnaird Head lantern completed
• 1807-1811 Robert Stevenson completes the Bell Rock
• 1822 - August Fresnel invents the dioptric lens
• 1824 - Stevenson renovates Kinnaird Head
• 1844 - Alan Stevenson, son of Robert completes the Skerryvore
• 1850 - Robert Louis Stevenson born.
• 1868 - Work begins on Dubh Artach lighthouse west of Mull.
• 1853 - Electric Illumination used in lighthouses for the first time.
• 1854 - Muckle Flugga lighthouse is built on the northern most point of the Shetland Isles
• 1875 - Chicken Rock Light completed off the Isle of Man
• 1929 - First radio beacon designed by Marconi signals off Kinnaird Head
• 1998 - Last manned lighthouse is automated

Stories

There are many stories about lighthouses. Here are just a few of them. We would love to collect any more.

Biographies

Click above to find out about the figures behind the building of many of Scotland's lighthouses.

Light Keeper's Duties

Want to be a light keeper? Find out what you had to do and how the job changed over the years.