North Ronaldsay Beacon
1809.
North Ronaldsay Light extinguished, and its Tower converted into a Beacon.
It having been considered superfluous to have two light-houses on this part of the coast, within 8 miles of each other, the Light-house Board resolved to extinguish North Ronaldsay light, and convert its tower into a sea-mark, or beacon without a light. It was accordingly intimated in the newspapers of the principal ports of the United kingdom that the light on the Island of North Ronaldsay, in Orkney, situated in North Lat. 59° 40´, Long. 2° 15´ west of London, would be discontinued, and cease to be lighted from and after the 1st day of June 1809; but that the Light-house Tower would be preserved as a Beacon on the coast, by the erection of a Circular Ball of masonry, measuring 8 feet in diameter, instead of a Light-room. This beacon bears from the revolving light on the Start Point of Sanday, N.NE., ½ E. by compass, distant 8 miles, which continues to be lighted as heretofore, the Start Point having been found the most centrical position for a light-house to warn the mariner of his approach to the low shores of the North Isles of Orkney.