Lighthouse’s nearly 100-year-old bell is to be replaced by ‘soulless’ horn
TRINITY House is forging ahead with much-maligned plans to replace a famous lighthouse bell with what’s been described as a “soulless foghorn.”
Anglesey Council’s planning department has received a planning application to carry out alterations to Penmon’s Trwyn Du lighthouse, including its access arrangements.
The lighthouse’s hazard warning bell has rung around the clock every 30 seconds since 1922, but would be replaced under its owners’ proposals.
Trinity House, the authority for lighthouses in England and Wales, says the current system is no longer reliable for mariners, and a new device would be “simpler to monitor and maintain” at the 1838-built lighthouse.
The 178kg fog warning bell, they say, is the only such example on any Trinity House lighthouse and does “not have the clarity of modern fog signal emitters”, the authority says.
The design and access statement accompanying the application notes that the actual bell would remain, but would no longer be used.
“The bell (and more importantly its mechanism) being unique, it is difficult and costly to maintain. Because it is non standard, parts cannot be quickly sourced and must be specially made. This can take time – time when the fog warning may be out of action – (thus) is not considered to have future viability as an active aid to navigation. This new emitter will use much less power, as it will only sound in foggy conditions (rather than 24 hours a day), be recognisable to the mariner as a modern fog signal consistent with others, and will be easier and quicker to monitor, maintain, repair and replace.
“Quite understandably, members of the public will miss the sound of a bell that has rung out so consistently for so many years; however adaptation to improved technology has always been part of a lighthouse’s lot and its long-term survival depends upon it.”
But the proposals have come under attack by many locals, launching a “Save the Trwyn Du Lighthouse Bell” Facebook campaign to save the original sound.
Philip Russell, who runs the Pilot House Cafe next to the lighthouse, said losing the bell would be like “losing part of the area”.
The island’s recently retired MP, Albert Owen, said: “Replacing the Penmon Bell with a loud, soulless foghorn would be a disaster. If the electronic mechanism is ageing and a little unreliable, then I suggest Trinity House carry out necessary maintenance to fix it or replace it.”
It’s expected Anglesey Council’s planning department will consider the application over the coming weeks.