Full Report for Listed Buildings
The list description is not intended to be a complete inventory of what is listed: it is principally intended to aid identification. By law, the definition of a listed building includes the entire building (i) and any structure or object that is fixed to the said building and ancillary to it and (ii) any other structure or object that forms part of the land and has done so since before 1 July 1948, and was within the curtilage of the building, and ancillary to it, on the date on which said building was first included in the list, or on 1 January 1969, whichever was later.
Summary Description
Reference Number
22885
Building Number
Grade
II*
Status
Designated
Date of Designation
03/03/2000
Date of Amendment
03/03/2000
Name of Property
Whiteford Lighthouse
Address
Location
Unitary Authority
Swansea
Community
Llangennith, Llanmadoc and Cheriton
Town
Swansea
Locality
Whiteford
Easting
244374
Northing
197261
Street Side
Location
On a shingle bank to the south of the entrance to Burry River, and to the north of Whiteford Sands, 4 km north of Llanmadoc village
Description
Broad Class
Civil
Period
History
Built in 1865 by the Llanelli Harbour and Burry Navigation Commissioners to replace an earlier structure; the lighthouse remained in use until 1921. The name of the designer is not recorded. It follows a C19 tradition of cast iron lighthouses, cast iron having first been used in the construction of a lighthouse at Maryport, Cumbria, in 1834. Whiteford is thought to be the only remaining major cast-iron lighthouse in the British Isles, and is an important monument of C19 engineering construction.
Whitford marks the south side of the navigable channel to Llanelli. Following disuse the lighthouse was leased by the Llanelli Harbout Trust to the Nature Conservancy Council.
Exterior
Built of cast iron plates externally flanged and bolted, in seven rings rising to the main gallery. The form tapers, from about 6½ metres diameter at base to about 3½ metres diameter at the top.The external positioning of the flanges is an unusual and arguably impractical detail, the reason for which is unexplained. Above this there is a gallery, a final ring of cast-iron plates, a top gallery, and the lantern; altogether over 15 metres high. At high tide the lighthouse stands in 6 metres of water. Wrought iron bands have been added to strengthen the structure near base level.
The main gallery consists of iron balusters linked at top by trefoils, carried on bellied iron beams. Access to the gallery and thence to the interior was by an external ladder (now mostly missing). The lantern is designed as three rows of sixteen rectangular panes. Copper glazing bars. The lantern roof was originally also in copper.
Interior
The lowest part of the structure is believed to be stone-filled. There appear to have been two rooms at the top for lighthousemen.
Reason for designation
Listed at II* as a rare survival of a wave-swept cast-iron lighthouse in British coastal waters, and an important work of C19 lighthouse design and construction.
Scheduled Ancient Monument GM407 (SWA).
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