Portishead Point lighthouse

Portishead Point Lighthouse stands on Battery Point in Portishead, Somerset. Built in 1931 by Chance Brothers of Smethwick, it is a 9-metre-high black metal pyramid on a concrete base. The lighthouse was designed as an automatic light with no keeper. Its original plan included a diaphone fog signal, but local opposition led to a fog bell being installed instead. The bell, weighing two tonnes, was cast by Gillett & Johnston of Croydon in 1938 and fitted the next year. Structural concerns later removed the bell in 1998, but public demand brought it back to Portishead in 2012. The lighthouse remains an important navigational aid for Bristol Port. It is maintained by the Bristol Port Company, which refurbished the light in 2012. The two-tonne fog bell now stands on Wyndham Way near the High Street, a restored landmark from the lighthouse’s early years. The black metal structure still guides ships entering the Bristol Channel. Its simple design reflects the practical needs of maritime safety. The lighthouse and bell together tell the story of Portishead’s changing coastal defences. Visitors to Battery Point find the lighthouse standing close to the water’s edge. The black pyramid contrasts with the grey concrete base and the surrounding shoreline. Nearby, the restored fog bell marks the spot where it once warned ships in fog. The area offers views across the Bristol Channel towards Wales. A short walk leads to Portishead’s High Street, where the bell now stands as a public monument. The lighthouse and bell together form a quiet reminder of the town’s maritime past.