St. Agnes Lighthouse

St Agnes Lighthouse, perched on the highest point of St Agnes in the Isles of Scilly, is one of Britain’s oldest surviving lighthouse structures, first built in 1680 by Trinity House. Standing 23 meters tall and 42 meters above sea level, the white granite tower originally used a coal brazier for illumination before being upgraded to Argand lamps and reflectors in the late 18th century. Although it was decommissioned in 1911 and replaced by Peninnis Lighthouse on St Mary’s, the tower remains a prominent navigational daymark and a Grade II*-listed building. Now privately owned and converted into accommodation, it still dominates the skyline—a historic symbol of maritime safety and a reminder of the Scilly Isles’ longstanding role in guiding ships through hazardous coastal waters.