Covesea Skerries Lighthouse

Covesea Skerries Lighthouse stands on a small headland on the south coast of the Moray Firth near Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland. Built by the Northern Lighthouse Board, it sits atop Craighead, a rocky promontory overlooking the sea. The lighthouse was designed by Alan Stevenson, a member of the famous Stevenson engineering family. Its construction followed a storm in 1826 that sank 16 vessels, prompting calls for safer navigation. The Elder Brethren of Trinity House recommended the site after surveying the coastline. The lighthouse was completed in 1846 at a cost of £11,514, with a grid iron tower added on Halliman’s Skerries the following year. Originally, a clockwork mechanism powered the lens, which was later replaced by automation in 1984. The light was deactivated in 2012 after a new buoy system was installed. The original lens is now displayed at the Lossiemouth Fisheries and Community Museum. Visitors to the site find a Category A listed building with a striking coastal setting. The surrounding walls were lowered in 1907 to reduce wind vortices that disrupted the lightkeepers’ work. The Covesea Lighthouse Community Company now manages the property, aiming to develop it as a tourism hub. Plans include promoting local heritage, wildlife, and links to nearby RAF Lossiemouth. The lighthouse’s history and engineering make it a notable landmark in the region.