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Latitude: 58.8966 / 58°53'47"N
Longitude: -2.6723 / 2°40'20"W
OS Eastings: 361359
OS Northings: 1001220
OS Grid: HY613012
Mapcode National: GBR M5R6.Y97
Mapcode Global: WH7CN.XNN5
Plus Code: 9CCVV8WH+J3
Entry Name: Keepers' Houses, Copinsay Lighthouse
Listing Name: Copinsay Lighthouse, Including Foghorn and Keepers' Houses
Listing Date: 8 December 1971
Category: B
Source: Historic Scotland
Source ID: 352645
Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB18574
Building Class: Cultural
ID on this website: 200352645
Location: St Andrews and Deerness
County: Orkney Islands
Electoral Ward: East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray
Parish: St Andrews And Deerness
Traditional County: Orkney
D A Stevenson, completed 1915. 2-stage, circular-plan lighthouse tower. Painted brick with painted long and short margins to openings. Base course; door to W at 1st stage; window at each stage to E; corbelled walkway with cast-iron railings between 2nd stage and lantern; bracketed walkway with cast-iron railings around lantern; domed roof. Tapered circular-plan foghorn tower directly to E of lighthouse. Painted stone. Evenly disposed ventilation holes around upper rim; entrance to W (rear). Flat-roofed, rectangular-plan keeper's house to W of lighthouse. Painted stone with painted long and short margins to openings; painted long and short quoins. 4-pane timber sash and case windows; decorative brackets to cast-iron rainwater goods.
INTERIORS: not seen, 1998.
The island of Copinsay lies SE of the Orkney Mainland, the lighthouse standing on its easterly shore. It was the last Major Lighthouse to be built on Orkney and rises 79 metres above sea level. At 16 metres high, its light has a range of 21 miles. The contractor was Hugh MacDougal of Oban who went bankrupt during the construction process but was employed as foreman by the Commissioners. The brick and the granite were transported from Oban by 'puffers' which beached at the west side of the island and were carted to the building site by Mr Foubister, occupant of the farm. The materials were then hauled to the top of the cliffs by steam driven winches. Originally, the keepers lived at the lighthouse with their families; a school teacher also lived on the island and had a classroom in the farmhouse. Subsequently the farm has been deserted and the lighthouse designated a rock station which was automated 1991. Copinsay is now an RSPB nature reserve and in 1973 was dedicated to the late James Fisher, author, broadcaster and ornithologist.
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