Whitby

54° 28'.67 N 00° 34'.00 W

Whitby Lighthouse

History

High cliffs and fine beaches extend to Ravenscar around Robin Hood's Bay from Whitby and the area is popular with holiday-makers. The harbour at Whitby is still the base for the town's fishing fleet and it was from here that Captain Cook set out in the ENDEAVOUR on his voyage of discovery to Australia in 1768.

Trinity House built the present Whitby Lighthouse in 1858 on Ling Hill to the design of James Walker; originally a pair of towers, aligned north-south and showing fixed lights over Whitby Rock, the station was altered in 1890 when a more efficient light was installed in the smaller tower and the other closed down.

Whitby Lighthouse was automated in 1992 and is monitored and controlled via telemetry link from the Trinity House Central Planning Unit at Harwich.

Send us a photograph of Whitby Lighthouse.

Specifications

Established	1858
Height Of Tower	13 Metres
Height Of Light Above Mean High Water	73 Metres
Automated	1992
Electrified	1976
Lamp	3 250W 24V tungsten halogen lamps mounted on a LC45 two-position lamp changer
Optic	Six panel 2nd Order Catadioptric Drum
Character	White and red isophase every 5 seconds
Intensity	White light 39,800 Candela; red light 17,100 Candela
Range Of Light	White Light 18 nautical miles; red light 16 nautical miles