Point Lynas Lighthouse and Telegraph Station with accommodation blocks and enclosure walls

Cadw's description

Location

On Point Lynas, 1km approx N of Llaneilian.

History

The first buildings at Point Lynas, erected in 1779, were intended as accommodation for Liverpool pilots using the shelter of Porthyrysgaw to the E of the point, and occupied a site 300m approx S of the present lighthouse compound. This was established in 1835 by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, and was designed by their engineer, Jesse Hartley. In 1879, a telegraph station was established, and the site was adapted by the provision of two additional cottages, necessitating the demolition of the original S boundary wall, and its replacement by the present S wall and entrance gates. This work was designed by George Lyster, who had succeeded Hartley as engineer to the Mersey Dock and Harbour Board. The light was also replaced at about the same time. It was electrified in 1952. Trinity House took over responsibility for the light in 1973.

Exterior

Lighthouse and Principal Keeper's Dwelling: The lighthouse is set to the rear of the principal keeper's cottage: white rendered over rubble, a rectangular tower, with a higher narrow tower at the N end, housing the telegraph room and look-out in its upper floor. Lantern projects from the N elevation. Doorway in E elevation, up steps in 4-centred archway with drop ended hoodmould. Chamfered 4-centred arched window with hood mould over the doorway, and splayed window in tower, which has mock arrow-slit in its upper stage. Embattled parapets to main block and N tower. N elevation has semi-circular cast-iron lantern to ground floor, carried on a wide platform enclosed by a ditch, with half-conical roof and grid of glazing. Corbelled oriel with 3-light mullioned and transomed window of telegraph room above. The principal keeper's cottage adjoins the lighthouse to the S: 2 storeyed, 3-window range with central embattled porch with 4-centred archway beneath drop-ended hoodmould set in its E wall. Casement windows to either side and above renewed in original chamfered openings with drop-ended hood moulds. Axial and gable end stacks with projecting cornices.
Former Telegraph Staff accommodation: A pair of cottages, symmetrically designed and set to either side of the main entrance to the enclosure. Render with exposed brick bands and dressings, and slate roof. Gothic detailing, including the shouldered lintels to the plank doors offset in the gable ends, and to the 4-pane sash windows, grouped singly and in pairs in gable end and long elevations. Moulded eaves cornices.
Enclosing compound wall and gateway: A boundary wall encloses the site: the N section, flanking the tower and returning S to E and W, terminating each side in a higher turret, is part of the original design which was extended further to the S, and with a new S wall and entrance, in 1879. The original wall is embattled and has an inner wall-walk carried on arched recesses. Main gate in S wall has stilted archway with hoodmould beneath steep gable sprung between embattled and machicolated turrets. Main gate and footgate, divided by a chamfered pier with conical coping. Enscribed stone in apex of gable records dates of original building and extensions.

Interior

The lantern room is partially recessed beneath a tall 2-centred archway set in the N wall of the tower. The fixed lens is a Chance occulting optic installed in 1879, mounted on a cast-iron base with moulded balustrading. At the rear of the optic, the cast-iron tube which contained the weights of the clockwork mechanism for the occulting device remains in situ.

Reason for designation

An important example of the work of Jesse Hartley, acting as engineer to the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, with Lyster's extensions maintaining a similar character. The design bears a distinctive hall-mark, and is quite different from those associated with Trinity House in the C19. A distinctive exercise in Neo-Gothic, forming a tightly designed and highly integrated compound. The lighthouse is of an unusual type in which the lantern is on the ground floor.