Renovated lighthouse, London, February 2018
Lighthouses, albeit in their more traditional position, have caught the attention of authors as well as sailors. There is a substantial number of novels and poems written over the centuries, that contain the name in their title. Here’s an extract from one that I particularly like.
“Build high the lighthouse, Architect,
In beauty, strength, and might…
Day and night its lamp of light
Shall cast its cheerful glow,
And on the wrecking rocks its flame,
Like a burning rose, shall blow…”
– from Building the Lighthouse by Richard Sheldon Chadwick, c.1856
The London Lighthouse went through some less majestic days in its history. Dating back to 1875, this Grade II listed building reached the low of being placed on Historic England’s Buildings at Risk Register. In its Victorian days, it is believed to have been a signal for fresh oysters, lighting its beam when produce arrived at Netten’s oyster bar down on the ground floor. The oysters have now been replaced by burgers.
There’s a glimpse below of the lighthouse in its less beautiful days in 2013, when renovation work was underway.
Copyright Debbie Smyth, 6 April 2018
Posted as part of Weekend in B&W
Travel with Intent 
Nice to see the renovation completed!!! Nice!
LikeLike
Fine to see a lighthouse even though they are no longer needed as navigational aids, they still have a romance of travel across the sea. How good that this one has been restored.
LikeLike
…built on what I would call a ‘flatiron building.’
LikeLike
Very true ( I love the NYC one)
LikeLike
How strange! I wasn’t aware of this lighthouse. A fine image.
LikeLike
It was in a dreadful state for many years – you wouldn’t have even have noticed it. It opened as this new and shiny renovation in 2015 I think. Maybe 2016
>
LikeLike
I have been asked to sing this song more than once about The Lighthouse.
LikeLike
Yes, I hadn’t thought of songs. Popular there too, especially given the underlying meanings of safety, both physical and mental
Any videos of you performing?
LikeLiked by 1 person
None that I am particularly proud of. People keep asking me to sing and I am never sure on hearing myself just why.
LikeLike