Caldey Island Lighthouse

Standing on the southern tip of Caldey Island, just off the coast of Tenby, Caldey Island Lighthouse is one of Pembrokeshire’s most striking maritime landmarks. Built by Trinity House in 1829, the lighthouse was designed to guide ships safely past the dangerous St Gowan Shoals and Helwick Sands, hazards that had long threatened vessels navigating the Bristol Channel. The lighthouse is an impressive cylindrical tower, painted white and positioned high above the sea on one of the island’s most dramatic headlands. Although the tower itself is only around 16 metres tall, its elevated location allows the light to be seen from many miles away. An interesting fact is that it was the last Trinity House lighthouse to operate on acetylene gas before being converted to mains electricity in 1997. It had already been automated in 1927, ending the era of resident keepers working the light every day. Historically, the lighthouse played an important role not only for local coastal traffic carrying coal and limestone but also for ships crossing the Atlantic. Its light helped mariners identify the entrance to the Bristol Channel and avoid confusing it with the English Channel.