Trinity House Lightship 4 Scarweather Lighthouse
Location & Light Range
About Trinity House Lightship 4 Scarweather Lighthouse
Also known as: Trinity House Lightship 4 Scarweather (Smith's Knoll)
The Trinity House Lightship 4 Scarweather, constructed in 1947, served as a mobile navigational aid. Originally marking the Smith's Knoll station in the North Sea, it was later positioned at the Scarweather Sands station in the Severn estuary. This steel lightship features a skeletal tower with a lantern and gallery amidships, reaching a height of 41.7 meters. Decommissioned in 1989, it was sold to the Port-Musée in Douarnenez, France, in 1991. Following restoration work in 2008, the vessel is now anchored in the Rivière de Port Rhu, near the D7 bridge, as part of the museum's collection.
Why it matters: The lightship warned vessels away from hazardous shoals, contributing to maritime safety in busy shipping lanes. Its current status as a museum exhibit offers insight into historical navigational methods.
Tower & Structure
- Tower Height
- 41.7m
- Tower Shape
- skeletal
- Tower Color
- red
- Material
- steel
Structure: steel lightship; skeletal tower with lantern and gallery amidships
Location
- City
- Douarnenez
- Country
- 🇫🇷France
- Region
- Brittany
- Sea Region
- Served on Smith's Knoll station in the North Sea off East Anglia and Scarweather Sands station off Bristol in the Severn estuary. Currently anchored in the Rivière de Port Rhu in Douarnenez, France, downstream from the D7 bridge.
- Latitude
- 48.0906°
- Longitude
- -4.3343°
Nearby Vessels
Construction & History
- Year Built
- 1947
Significant events: Decommissioned 1989, sold to the Port-Musée in Douarnenez 1991, towed to a drydock for painting and restoration early 2008
References & Identifiers
- Nearest Port
- Douarnenez(0.5 km)
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