4 Upper Square, Lighthouse Shore Establishment, Hynish, Tiree

Alan Stevenson, built mainly 1837-40, for the construction and servicing/maintenance of Skerryvore Lighthouse.

Buildings constructed mainly of large masonry blocks, roofrs either flat or slated. Principal elements - as named in Stevenson's own published plan of 1848 (reproduced in Inventory) - are;

HARBOUR: all built of rock-faced ashlar; DOCK: with guiding rails of original locking gate (latter now gone), also hand operated derrick.

PIER: extends from west side.

SEAMEN'S BARRACKS: (originally worker's housing, now privately owned); a 2-storey row, stepped to slope, deep on plan; gabled and slated, lower courtyard buildings to rear.

KEEPER'S HOUSES (Upper Square): distinctive and solid looking, like other lighthouse keeper's housing by Stevenson, and with Egyptianised detail; single storey, flat roofed, ashlar faced, massive doorways, rank of stacks at wallhead, small walled gardens.

SIGNAL TOWER (now a museum): (20th century) plaque gives date 1843, inscription "...in use from 1844 to 1937 for signalling by semaphore to Skerryvore Lighthouse...". Circular tower, deep corbelled cornice/ platform near top; ashlar; also windowed at top.

STORES: long single storey row, stepped to slope.

RESERVOIR: used for flushing silt from dock basin, and still (1989) operational, with underground conduit; dam is irregular on plan, with stone faced walls.

STORE: close to harbour; long single storey block, rectangular in plan with cross walls. Series of flat-lintelled openings facing south. Built of pinned squared rubble.

COAL STORE: is now (1989) neglected; also series of GARDEN WALLS AND ENCOSURES AND SMALL PERIPHERAL BUILDINGS.