An Account of the Bell Rock Light-House / Including the Details of the Erection and Peculiar Structure of That Edifice; to Which Is Prefixed a Historical View of the Institution and Progress of the Northern Light-Houses

by Robert Stevenson

Artificers embark for the Rock.

At 11 o’clock P. M., the Sir Joseph Banks Tender set sail from Arbroath for the Bell Rock, to commence the operations for the ensuing spring tides, having on board 38 masons, 6 joiners, 3 smiths, and the landing-master’s crew, consisting of 12 seamen, in all 59. The winds being variable, the vessel only got a short way off the shore in the course of the night, and did not reach her moorings till the next day at noon.

Wednesday, 6th.

Commence operations for the ensuing Spring-tides.

Landed on the Rock, with the three boats belonging to the Tender, at 5 P. M., and began immediately to bale the water out of the foundation-pit, with a number of buckets, while the pumps were also kept in action with relays of artificers and seamen. The work commenced upon the higher parts of the foundation, as the water left them, but it was now pretty generally reduced to a level. The pumps were laid in a diagonal position as represented in [Plate XI.]; four men wrought at the cross handle and guided the pump-spear, to which a rope was attached, and in this manner, about 20 men could be conveniently employed at each pump, and it is quite astonishing in how short a time so great a body of water could be drawn off. The water in the foundation-pit at this time, measured about two feet in depth, on an area of 42 feet in diameter; and yet it was drawn off in the course of about half an hour. After this, the artificers commenced with their picks, and continued at work for two hours and a half, some of the sailors being at the same time busily employed in clearing the foundation of chips, and in conveying the irons to and from the smiths on the beacon where they were sharped. At 8 o’clock, the sea broke in upon us, and overflowed the foundation pit, when the boats returned to the Tender.

Thursday, 7th.

How employed.

The landing-master’s bell rung this morning about 4 o’clock, and at 5 the boats landed the artificers, when the pumps and buckets were set to work to clear the foundation-pit of water. The pumps, as formerly noticed, were left upon the Rock, being fixed between four bars of iron, batted or wedged into it, upon which plates were fitted with forelocks, which kept them from shifting. It was common also to drive a few wedges of iron between the pumps and these fixtures, for greater security against their being lifted by the pressure of the water, which, in spring tides, was from 12 to 14 feet in depth. At half-past 5, the foundation being cleared, the work commenced on the site of the building. But from the moment of landing, the squad of joiners and mill-wrights was at work upon the higher parts of the Rock, in laying the railways, while the anvils of the smiths resounded on the Beacon, and such columns of smoke ascended from the forges, that they were often mistaken by strangers at a distance, for a ship on fire. After continuing three hours at work, the foundation of the building was again overflowed, and the boats returned to the ship at half-past 8 o’clock. The masons and pickmen had, at this period, a pretty long day on board of the Tender, but the smiths and joiners were kept constantly at work upon the Beacon; the stability and great conveniency of which had now been so fully shewn, that no doubt remained as to the propriety of fitting it up as a barrack. The workmen were accordingly employed, during the period of high-water, in making preparations for this purpose.

Foundation stone prepared.

The foundation-pit now assumed the appearance of a great platform, and the late tides had been so favourable, that it became apparent that the first course, consisting of a few irregular and detached stones for making up certain inequalities in the interior parts of the site of the building, might be laid in the course of the present spring-tides. Having been enabled to-day to get the dimensions of the foundation or first stone accurately taken, a mould was made of its figure, when the writer left the Rock, after the tide’s work of this morning, in a fast rowing boat, for Arbroath; and upon landing, two men were immediately set to work upon one of the blocks from Mylnefield quarry, which was prepared in the course of the following day, as the stone-cutters relieved each other, and worked both night and day, so that it was sent off in one of the Stone-lighters without delay.