Corsewall Lighthouse

Corsewall Lighthouse

A complex of structures designed by Robert Stevenson and built in 1815–1816, with later additions and alterations by D A Stevenson in 1889. The foundation stone was laid on 17 June 1815, and the lighthouse came into use on 15 September 1816.

The lighthouse is a six-stage circular tower with painted rubble walls and painted ashlar dressings with raised margins. Between the second and third stages runs a projecting crenellated course. Three band courses separate the upper stages. Quatrefoils positioned to north, east, south and west at the sixth stage are blinded except to the west. Windows to the remaining stages face west, though that at the first stage is blinded; a window to the third stage and a blinded window to the fifth stage face east. A corbelled gallery with diamond-patterned metal railing projects from the tower, surmounted by a domed lantern with three rows of triangular framed glazing. Modern glazing appears throughout the windows except in the quatrefoils. A single-storey corridor adjoins the east side, linking the tower to the keepers' houses.

The interior contains a spiral staircase with cast-iron balustrade and timber handrail, along with brass fittings and original clockwork machinery.

The keepers' houses form a two-storey block with basement to the south and cellars throughout. The building contains three dwellings: two at ground floor and one at first floor. The walls are painted rubble with painted droved ashlar dressings, rusticated quoins, band course between floors, raised margins and base course. The roof is flat with eaves cornice and blocking course. Corniced and shouldered wallhead stacks stand at the centre to north and south. Sash and case windows with eight-pane glazing to the west, and two-pane glazing at first floor and four-pane glazing at ground floor to east and north.

The east elevation consists of a three-bay main block with outer bays advanced and tripartite windows to both floors. At the centre of the first floor stands a modern door (enlarged from a window); a winding forestair added in 1889 extends upward from this point, with a door to the north return and small windows to east and south, decorated with polygonal piers at its base. Single-storey wings flank both sides, added in 1889, with a window to the right wing. The ground floor originally had a window at the centre.

The south elevation features a single-storey and basement wing adjoined to the right, with a window to the west and a panelled door to the left; a basement window stands to the right below. A wallhead stack projects to the south. A door to the cellars opens to the left of the wing.

The north elevation displays a blinded window at the centre of the first floor. A wing adjoins to the left with a wallhead stack; the wing to the right is enlarged and slightly recessed with a bipartite window, extending beyond the elevation with a chamfered angle to clasp the west elevation.

The west elevation comprises five bays. The linking corridor adjoins at ground-floor level at the centre, with a window above it and windows in the remaining bays at both floors.

The single-storey corridor linking the tower and keepers' houses is similarly detailed with double-leaf boarded doors, a door to the left and window to the right to the south; the engine house adjoins to the left. A door to the left to the north provides the original entrance to all three houses; a modern harled block adjoins to the right with three windows to the north.

The engine house adjoins the lighthouse and linking corridor to the south. It is constructed of painted brick with a flat roof and blocking course. Metal-framed small-pane glazing and segmental-arched openings punctuate walls recessed by pilaster strips. The west side features a door to the right and windows to the left and centre; the east side has a machinery door to the left and windows to the right and centre. Two windows open to the south on the left, with a lower brick block surmounted by a tank adjoined to the right, containing two windows to the south, a window to the west and a door to the east. This lower block was originally a workshop and store.

A single-storey building stands to the south of the engine house, enlarged in brick to the east and south in 1889. The original section to the north features a door and flanking windows to the right, with a blocking course slightly raised above the door and inscribed "1815". Two later segmental-arched doors stand to the left. An enlargement to the south, originally containing ash pits, extends as a lean-to with a door and two windows.

A foghorn designed by D A Stevenson in 1889 is situated to the west, set on a raised concrete platform continued around the base of the foghorn engine house.

Enclosure walls of painted rubble surround the complex. A crenellated wall stands to the north of the lighthouse, containing a pillar well; the wall continues to form a cultivation enclosure to the east.

Former milkhouses and a former byre stand further east.

The cellars of the houses originally contained a washing house and storage for supplies and coals. Petroleum and lighthouse oil stores built in 1889 and adjoined to the houses to the southeast have since been removed.

The lighthouse is permanently manned. A plaque in the lighthouse reads: "Designed by Messrs Stevenson, Civil Engineer, Edinburgh and constructed by M M Soutter Harle, Paris and Messrs James Dove & Co, Edinburgh".