Bell Rock Lighthouse
Bell Rock Lighthouse is the world's oldest surviving lighthouse built on a rock in the North Sea, 11 miles off the coast of Angus, Scotland. The rock was the scene of many shipwrecks, as it lies just below the surface of the sea for much of the time, though part comes above the surface at low tide and is visible for three to four hours. The rock is called Bell Rock, because of earlier attempts by monks to put a warning bell on to it. The bell lasted only one year.
The lighthouse was built by a Scottish engineer, Robert Stevenson, and was completed in 1810. It has some similarities to the earlier Eddystone Lighthouse designed by John Smeaton, but also newer features, such as rotating lights, with alternating red and white lights. Standing at 35m high, the light is visible from 35 miles inland. The working of the lighthouse has been automated since 1998.
