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

On returning to the Rock, the writer found that the artificers had been able to land regularly, both at the morning and evening tides, and that they had added eight hours to the working period. He was, however, extremely sorry to find that he had missed the visit of his excellent friend Mr Patrick Neill, who, in the zeal of his pursuits in botany and natural history, had expressed a strong desire to examine the fuci and animals upon the Bell Rock, and had taken the opportunity of a passage with the Smeaton from Leith. But his engagements did not admit of his remaining till the writer’s return; and he had left the rock in a boat going to the Redhead, about seven miles east from Arbroath, where he expected to overtake the writer, but instead of which, they unluckily passed each other under night.

Saturday, 9th.

The weather still continued to be very agreeable, the wind being moderate and chiefly from the S.W. At 6 A. M. the signal bell was rung for embarking for the Rock. At 7 the artificers landed, and began to clear the foundation-pit of water, and the work continued from a quarter past 7 till half-past 11, having had three hours’ and a quarter’s work, when the Rock was again overflowed, and the boats returned to the Tender.

Foundation stone landed at high-water.

The site of the foundation-stone was very difficult to work, from its depth in the Rock, but being now nearly prepared, it formed a very agreeable kind of pastime, at high-water, for all hands to land it upon the Rock. The landing-master’s crew and artificers accordingly entered with great spirit into this operation. The stone was placed upon the deck of the Hedderwick Praam-boat, which had just been brought from Leith, and was decorated with colours for the occasion. Flags were also displayed from the shipping in the offing, and upon the Beacon. Here the writer took his station with the greater part of the artificers, who supported themselves in every possible position while the boats towed the praam from her moorings, and brought her immediately over the site of the building where her grappling anchors were let go. The stone was then lifted off the deck by a tackle hooked into a Lewis-bat, inserted into it; when it was gently lowered into the water, and grounded on the site of the building, amidst the cheering acclamations of about sixty persons. The landing of this stone at high-water became necessary, from there being still a want of a sufficient length of railway for conveying it along the Rock at low-water to the site of the building. But this method was rarely resorted to, as it was apt to skirt or break the edges of the stones; and as a continuation of good weather was not to be calculated upon, it was observed as a rule never to land more stones in any one tide than could be built, because the force of the sea was more than sufficient to remove the heaviest stones, as we have seen in the case of the first six blocks of granite which were landed by way of experiment, and also of the cast-iron mushroom anchor, which was drifted about the Rock, although it weighed upwards of a ton.

The boats landed at half-past 7 this evening, and the artificers immediately began to bale and pump the water from the foundation-pit, and the work was afterwards continued by torch-light till a quarter-past 11, having had three hours’ and a quarter’s work this tide.

Sunday, 10th.

Foundation-stone laid with masonic ceremony.

The wind to-day was variable, with gentle breezes varying from S.E. to N.E.; and every thing being in a state of preparation for laying the foundation-stone, which had yesterday been landed with so much eclat, the sailors again displayed their flags at all points, and a cheerful happiness was discernible in every countenance. At half-past 8 the boats landed the artificers, and the weather being remarkably fine, as many of the crews of the Floating-light, the Tender and the Smeaton, as could be spared from their respective ships, landed this morning, to witness the long-wished-for ceremony of laying the first stone of the Light-house. We had, besides, an acquisition to our numbers, in a party consisting of about sixteen persons from Dundee, who came to the Rock, just as preparations were making for laying the stone.

Whether we consider this building as an erection of great difficulty, or, in a nautical point of view, as adding much to the comfort and protection of the mariner, and safety of property, upon a range of coast extending almost to the whole eastern shores of Great Britain, its importance is evident. If it be proper, therefore, on any occasion, to attach importance to the act of laying the first stone of a public building, that of the Bell Rock Light-house cannot be said to yield to any in point of celebrity, either for the peculiarity of its situation, or the importance of its object. Under these considerations it is obvious, that but for the perilous and uncertain nature of any arrangement which could have been made for this ceremony, instead of its having been performed only in the presence of those immediately connected with the work, and of a few accidental spectators from the neighbouring shore, counting in all about eighty persons, many thousands would have attended upon an occasion which must have called forth the first dignitaries of the country, in conferring the highest honours of masonry. The writer may, however, confidently affirm, that, situate as the work was, nothing could add to the satisfaction felt by all present, in having now got matters in so advanced a state, as to be able to commence the building operations.