View of the Bell Rock Signal Tower shore station in Arbroath, looking out to sea.

Bell Rock Lighthouse is the world's oldest surviving sea-washed lighthouse and was built on Bell Rock (formerly Inchcape Rock) in the North Sea, 11 miles off the coast of Angus, Scotland, east of the Firth of Tay. The rock was the scene of many shipwrecks as it lies just below the surface of the sea for all but a few hours at low tide. The ruined Arbroath Abbey, built from local red sandstone. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ... Angus (Aonghas in Gaelic) is one of the historic counties and also one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland and a Lieutenancy Area. ... Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Alba) is a country in northwest Europe, occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain. ... The Firth of Tay is a firth in Scotland between the regions of Fife and City of Dundee into to which Scotlands largest river in terms of flow, the River Tay empties. ... This article is about tides in the ocean. ...

According to legend, the rock is called Bell Rock because of 14th century attempt by the abbot from Arbroath to install a warning bell on it. The bell lasted only one year until it was removed by a Dutch pirate. This story is immortalised in the The Inchcape Rock, a famous poem by 19th century poet Robert Southey. (13th century - 14th century - 15th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to 1400. ... Abbots coat of arms An abbot (from the Hebrew ab, a father, through the Syriac abba, Latin abbas (genitive form, abbatis), Old English abbad, ; German Abt; French abbé) is the head and chief governor of a community of monks, called also in the East hegumenos or The English version... The ruined Arbroath Abbey, build from local red sandstone. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Robert Southey, English poet Robert Southey (August 12, 1774 - March 21, 1843) was an English poet of the Romantic school, and one of the so-called Lake Poets. Although his fame tends to be eclipsed by that of his contemporaries such as William Wordsworth, Southeys verse enjoys enduring popularity. ...

By the turn of the 18th century, it was estimated that the rocks were responsible for the wrecking of up to six ships every winter ¹. The loss of the warship HMS York and all on board in 1804 resulted in a furore in parliament which eventually led to the construction of the lighthouse. (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Several ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS York for the county seat of Yorkshire, on the River Ouse. ... 1804 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

The lighthouse was built by a Scottish engineer, Robert Stevenson, between 1807 and 1810. The lamp was first lit on 1st February, 1811. The design has some similarities to the earlier Eddystone Lighthouse designed by John Smeaton which was also built on an offshore reef using interlocking stones, 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. Robert Stevenson (8 June 1772–1850) was a Scottish lighthouse engineer and stepson of Thomas Smith, also a lighthouse engineer. ... (Redirected from 1st February) February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1811 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The Eddystone Lighthouse is a lighthouse off the coast of Devon, England. ... John Smeaton John Smeaton (8 June 1724 - 28 October 1792) was a civil engineer - indeed, he is often regarded as the Father of civil engineering’ – responsible for the design of bridges, canals, harbour and lighthouse. ...

The lighthouse operated in tandem with a shore station, the Bell Rock Signal Tower, built in 1813 at the mouth of Arbroath harbour. Today this building houses the Signal Tower Museum, a visitor centre detailing the history of the lighthouse. 1813 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The challenges faced in the building of the lighthouse have led to it being described as one of the Seven Wonders of the Industrial World. Seven Wonders of the Industrial World is a book written by Deborah Cadbury. ...

External links

• A Reference Site for Stevenson's Bell Rock Lighthouse (http://www.bellrock.org.uk)
• Northern Lighthouse Board history of the light (http://www.nlb.org.uk/ourlights/history/bellrock.htm)

Reference

• 1. The Lighthouse Stevensons, Bella Bathurst, ISBN 0007204434