Foreland Point Lighthouse And Adjoining Retaining Walls

The lighthouse at Foreland Point, along with its adjoining retaining walls, was constructed in 1900, with alterations made in the mid-to-late 20th century. The lighthouse is built of cement rendered, lined to resemble ashlar, likely over a rubble core, and has a hipped Welsh slate roof with painted metal fittings on the tower. The retaining walls are of painted rubble with rounded copings and granite steps.

The building occupies a steep slope, incorporating a terrace with retaining walls and flights of steps leading down to the circular tower situated on the north (seaward) side. The tower comprises two stages and a domestic range of one storey with a basement. The lower stage of the tower features a plinth and frieze, with small-headed wooden casements set within raised quoined surrounds, and a flat-roofed addition to the seaward side that houses fog signal equipment. The upper stage has a projecting railed walkway, lattice metal glazing bars (with metal panels shielding the lights on the landward side), a domed metal roof with a handrail, and a low-domed cylindrical cap topped with a gilded weathervane. A covered staircase link connects the tower to the domestic range, including frieze and cornice bands and a blocking course, with small wooden casements and quoined surrounds. The domestic range features raised quoins, a string course, architrave and frieze details, and three axial brick stacks along the ridge. It has a three-bay front with wooden cross windows, raised quoined surrounds, and three-bay end elevations with wooden cross windows and central boarded doorways, all with raised quoined surrounds.

Inside the tower, most original features remain, though it was converted to electricity in 1975. The lamp sits on a mercury bath supported by six cast-iron columns and rotates at four turns per second. The ground floor houses a central weight pit (formerly used for a winding system) and a curved wooden glazed cupboard with a lead-lined sink. A cast-iron staircase has a brass handrail, and brass fittings are used throughout. A plaque commemorates the lighthouse's construction and details the involvement of the Duke of York, Captain Vyvyan, and Engineer-in-Chief T. Matthews. The interior of the domestic range was not inspected.