Point Lynas Lighthouse

Point Lynas Lighthouse stands on a rocky headland at the north-east corner of Anglesey, overlooking the Irish Sea. The site was first used in 1766 for a pilot station guiding ships to and from Liverpool. A small lighthouse was added in 1779, but the present castellated building was completed in 1835 by Jesse Hartley. The Mersey Docks and Harbour Board managed it until 1973, when Trinity House took over. By 2001 the light was fully automated, ending the need for resident keepers. The lighthouse is unusual because its lantern sits at ground level rather than atop a tall tower. Jesse Hartley designed the main structure, with later additions by G Lyster. The lantern, dating from about 1874, has a cast-iron lower wall and a 4.6-metre diameter. A Chance Brothers occulting optic was installed in 1878, showing a white light visible for 18 nautical miles. The lamp’s intensity reaches 89,900 candela, flashing every 10 seconds. Visitors find a two-storey dwelling topped by a square tower with an oriel window for the pilot’s look-out. The original site lies 300 metres south, abandoned when the light moved to the higher position. The keepers’ cottages now serve as holiday lets, while the lighthouse itself remains in use. The telegraph station, added in 1879, reflects the site’s role in maritime communication. The headland offers sweeping views of the coast and the wider sea.