Southern Breakwater, Lighthouse Quay, Mevagissey
Mevagissey Lighthouse is located on the outer harbour wall, known locally as Lighthouse Quay. Mevagissey faces eastwards into Mevagissey Bay and has an inner and outer harbour. The village is a thriving fishing port and is the second-largest fishing port in Cornwall.
The original harbour dates back to medieval times, but a new port was built in 1774, which is where the East Quay is located. The old harbour did not provide shelter during easterly winds, being easterly facing. So a group of clergy, landowners and businessmen proposed a Harbour Act to improve the harbour.
In 1774, the first Harbour Act for Mevagissey was passed. Following the Act, the East and West Piers were built forming the inner harbour. It was not until 1888, that the piers were built to form the outer harbour. These outer piers were destroyed during the great blizzard of March 1891,.
The piers were rebuilt and completed in 1897,. A lighthouse was built on the end of the new wall of the outer harbour in 1896 marking the south breakwater. It was known as Mevagissey Victorian Pier Head Lighthouse.
The lighthouse is a 29 feet tall cast iron hexagonal tower. It is a similar design to the lighthouse at St. Ives and has a range of twelve miles. In 1988, the Mevagissey Harbour Trust was given charitable status and it is responsible for operating the lighthouse.
Cornish Lighthouses Cornwall's Shipwrecks Mevagissey The Cornish Fishing Industry