Hook Lighthouse

I mentioned in my last outfit post that last month we visited Wexford and Hook Lighthouse. I wanted to share some photos as it's such an amazing structure and location. It's been a long time since I've visited a lighthouse, so this was a real treat. As I have mentioned before, my grandfather on my mother's side was a lighthouse keeper and so of course every time I see a lighthouse, I am reminded of him. 

Hook is the world's oldest operational lighthouse, the tower was built by a knight named William Marshal between 1210 and 1230. However as early as 500 a.d. monks at the monastery at Churchtown kept a beacon on the peninsula to warn sailors of the dangerous rocks. The tower was then restored in the 1670's and into the 1700's when it came into the possession of the Loftus family (more on those guys in another post). In 1791 the coal fire was replaced with a lamp that burned whale oil. 

During the 1800s, the tower was handed over the the corporation, the houses were built for lighthouse keepers and their families and three red bands were painted on the tower that were later changed to the two black bands seen today. In 1871 gas lights were installed and then paraffin oil became the source of power. 

Throughout the 1900s many changes came to the tower including the changing of a fixed light to a flashing one which was powered by a clockwork mechanism. Then in 1972 they finally switched the light to be run by electricity. 1996 was a sad year as after 800 years, the lighthouse became automated and all the lighthouse keepers were no longer needed. 

Obviously that is a very brief history of a building that has been around for such a long time. Walking up the steep, narrow, winding stairway, it was hard to believe the history that those steps had seen. It's difficult to imagine that it was someone's job to walk up and down those stairs and maintain the light. Countless lives were saved because that light was there all those years, what an important job the lighthouse keepers had. I have such a great admiration for my grandfather working as a lighthouse keeper for years all over the country, I can't help but smile every time I see one.

I'll have part two of my trip for you later in the week.

Emma x