St Anthony's Lighthouse

St Anthony’s Lighthouse stands at St Anthony Head on the eastern side of the entrance to Falmouth harbour, known as Carrick Roads. This is one of the largest natural harbours in the world, where the lighthouse guides ships into safe water. The tower was designed by James Walker and built in 1835 by Olver of Falmouth for Trinity House. Its first light came from eight Argand oil lamps on a revolving frame, flashing once every twenty seconds. A subsidiary light was later added to warn of The Manacles, a dangerous cluster of rocks. The lighthouse also once housed a two-ton fog bell, reputedly the heaviest in Cornwall. The lighthouse has seen many changes since it was built. In 1912–13 it was upgraded with a large Fresnel lens and a clockwork occulting mechanism. Electric light replaced the oil lamps in 1954, and an experimental fog signal used 35 Tannoy emitters. The fog bell was removed and later melted down, though it once hung from the gallery at the front of the tower. Today the light is fully automated, flashing every fifteen seconds with a red sector for The Manacles. The fog horn still sounds regularly, though the light’s range has been reduced. Visitors to St Anthony’s Head find a striking white tower standing against the sea. The surrounding cliffs offer wide views over Carrick Roads and the English Channel. Nearby St Mawes appears in the distance, and the lighthouse once featured in the UK version of *Fraggle Rock*. A path leads up to the tower, where the lantern room sits above the increased height added in the 1920s. The site remains a working aid to navigation, though no keepers live there now. The red sector still warns ships of The Manacles, keeping the harbour safe.