Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB05/16/010 E

Address :
Marconi Blocks East Lighthouse Rathlin Island Ballycastle Co Antrim BT54 6RT

Townland:
Ballycarry

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Survey 2:
Record Only

Date of Listing:

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Walling

Former Use
Tower

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
Yes

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
3/4

IG Ref:
D1619 5204

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Owner Category

Exterior Description And Setting

Just outside the lighthouse grounds, in the plot immediately S of the two-storey houses, are three concrete blocks set into the ground. (HB05/16/010E) They appear to have been anchor stays for a mast erected by Lloyds of London, the shipping insurers. The mast was associated with a watch house from which transatlantic shipping was observed. This intelligence was then wirelessly communicated to Lloyd's London headquarters. Block 1 is 13m S of the gated entrance to the lighthouse grounds (at grid D16167 51928), block 2 is 24m beyond that (D16178 51906), and block 3 a further 35m on (D16199 51878). All are c.60cm x 60cm in plan and originally had 'LLOYDS' cast into their tops. All are now weathered to such an extent that only 'LOY' is readable on block 1 and 'LLOYD' on block 2; block 3 is indecipherable.

Architects

Historical Information

On 6 July 1898, George Kemp and Edward Glanville, assistants to the Guglielmo Marconi, demonstrated the latter's invention of wireless telegraphy to officials from Lloyds of London, the shipping insurers. A Morse signal was successfully transmitted wirelessly from an aerial strung from the East Light (HB05/16/010A) tower and picked up by a receiving mast in Ballycastle. Lloyds subsequently built a signal station (watch house and mast) on a plot beside the lighthouse. .

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

K. Group value

Historic Interest

Not listed

Evaluation

General Comments

Date of Survey

28 July 2016