East Coast

Place of the lighthouse

Rattray Head, historically Rattray Point, is a headland in Buchan, Aberdeenshire, on the North-East coast of Scotland. To north lies Strathbeg Bay and Rattray Bay is to its south. The dunes at Rattray Head beach can be up to 23 meters high and stretch 27 km from St Combs to Peterhead.

Building of the Lighthouse

In 1859 the Commissioners sanctioned a series of experiments due to a suggestion by Captain Bedford. He was of the opinion that Rattray Briggs should be marked by the aid of a light, the position of which could only be determined after careful inspection and survey.

The matter rested until 18 November 1874, when the Sheriff of Renfrew and Bute called the attention of the Commissioners to the propriety of erecting a Lighthouse at Rattray Head. Once again the Engineer was asked to report and once again he recommended the erection of a Lighthouse on a site to be determined.

Consequently, on 17 December 1874, Trinity House was requested to sanction the erection of a Lighthouse. This, Trinity House refused to do. On 18 January 1875, they wrote stating that the dangers of Rattray Briggs could be avoided by use of a lead (A sounding line or lead line is a length of thin rope with a plummet at its end) not coming under 20 fathoms of sounding. They suggested that a bell buoy be substituted for the one marking the reef.

It was decided that the Commissioners' Inspection Committee would investigate the site during their inspection tour. After the investigation, they decided to consider installing a light after all.

In relation to Trinity House's proposal to replace a bell buoy, the Engineer reported on 3 November 1875 that as great difficulties had been encountered in maintaining the relatively small buoy which currently marked the position, it had been replaced in the previous five years had drifted from his position five times. It would be almost impossible to maintain a larger bell buoy at this location. Moreover, the bell was often inaudible due to the sound of the breaking water on the adjacent beaches.

The matter fell into abeyance yet again until 18 March 1887, when William R Lord, Master, SS "Critic" reopened the subject by writing to the Commissioners in the following terms, "It is a rare thing to pass this dangerous point without finding a vessel of some sort stranded and it is one of the most prominent turning points of North East Scotland. Mariners will consider it a great boon by having a light placed here".

However, he was informed by the Commissioners that there was no money available for such a project. On 14 November 1889 a further application for a light was received from the local Fishermen of Peterhead and this was remitted to the Engineer, David Alan Stevenson, who reported that the area "was notorious among mariners for its foul ground, rapid tides and high and dangerous seas. No part of the East Coast of Scotland was more dangerous than this. Also a light was more important in view of the fact that a harbour of refuge was being built at Peterhead at an estimated cost of £ 500,000".

In March 1890, Trinity House was again approached to take action. Trinity House again requested further information, which failed to convince them that there was any need for a light. They said they had "no reason to reverse their earlier decision in the absence of any evidence that traders, who would be the ones to bear the costs of their request, were anxious for light at Rattray Head and were willing to pay the necessary maintenance toll".

The Commissioners decided to by-pass Trinity House and forwarded the list of vesselping companies wishing a light and fog signal to the Board of Trade with a request that the Board of Trade should arbitrate in the matter. (Commissioners had power, to act in this way under the terms of the Merchant vesselping Act 1854).

On 30 December 1890 the Board of Trade wrote stating that they had written to Trinity House informing them that they had sanctioned the erection of a Lighthouse and Fog Signal at Rattray Head as proposed by the Commissioners. They added that it might be necessary to give priority to other works upon which Commissioners and Trinity House were agreed. Trinity House's commitment followed on 8 January 1891.

Estimated cost to build the lighthouse
1.	Offer by David Porter of Aberdeen for Tower and dwelling houses	12,216 2/-1d
2.	Lantern, parapets, apparatus	2,892 0/-0d
3.	Fog Signal apparatus	2,200 0/-0d
4.	Oil cistern	120 0/-0d
5.	Water Supply	200 0/-0d
	Sub Total	17,628 2/-1d
	10% incidentals (of 2,3 and 4)	541 0/-0d
	Total	£18,169 2/6d
	Actual Cost	£18,949 1/1d

Quite a new departure in lighthouse design was planned. David A. Stevenson built a rock tower in two parts, the lower containing a foghorn and engine-room, and the upper the lightkeepers' room and lantern. It was the first time that a first-class siren fog signal had been installed in a rock lighthouse.

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Work begins in 1892, and the masonry of both portions of the tower was completed in sixteen months, spread over three seasons. The lower section, 20,000 cubic feet of dressed granite blocks mostly quarried at Rubislaw, was 13 meters high, with an entrance door reached by a 9 meters outside ladder, at high water it is covered to a depth of 7 feet but it is possible to walk ashore when the tide is out.

The upper part of the lighthouse, with a case diameter of 6 meters for the lightroom, lantern and dome brings it to a total height of 34 meters above the rock. The engine room is at the entrance level, and the upper tower and siren are planted on a platform known colloquially as the 'quarter deck'. The five-wick paraffin lamp, when first lighted in 1895, had a candlepower of 44,000, compared with 6,500 at neighbouring Buchan Ness.

The light was exhibited for the first time on 14 October 1895.

During the Second World War on 20 September 1941 an enemy plane circled the lighthouse, dropped three bombs, one of which did not explode. The lantern was machine-gunned but the damaged caused did not seriously impair the efficiency of the apparatus. No one was injured in the attack.

Many changes have taken place since 1895. A mains electricity supply and telephone cable were laid under the seabed and completed in September 1977. In February 1982, the light was made fully automatic and the keepers withdrawn.

The lighthouse tower is listed as a building of Architectural/Historical interest.