Bishop Rock

Cultural overview

Does any rock that stick above water level count as an island?
For the British government, any dot of land that either (a) is inhabited, or (b) has enough grass for “the summer’s pasturage of at least one sheep” counts as one.

Thus, the world’s smallest island is a rock of 46m long by 16m wide, four miles west of the Isles of Scilly.

Quite frankly, it would take a very tough sheep to graze over there.
Bishop Rock caused the wreck of many ships over the years, including the loss of Sir Cloudesley Shovel’s squadron of the British Fleet in 1707, in which no less than 2,000 men died.

The Elder Brethren of Trinity House (a charity dedicated to safeguarding shipping and seafarers) decided that the lighting of the Scilly Isles was inadequate, and resolved to build a lighthouse on Bishop Rock.

As the place was constantly beaten by both waves and strong gales, the first task was to sink cast iron legs into the solid granite, braced and stayed with wrought iron rods. After one year, the lighthouse was ready to be mounted with its lighting apparatus.

…Except that a heavy gale swept away the whole structure on the evening of 5 February 1850.

Undismayed by the failure of the first lighthouse, the workmen once again set to work. The surface waves constantly swept over the site, and the lowest building blocks had to be laid a third of a meter beneath low water mark. A heavy coffer dam was erected around the site and the water within pumped out, so that the masons might be able to work on a dry rock face. Each granite block, weighing from one to two tons, was set into its preselected position, and each course dovetailed and keyed into position at the sides, top and the bottom, thus forming an immovable mass.

The workmen were housed on a small nearby uninhabited islet and were carried to and from the site as the weather permitted.
After 7 long years of hard work, the tower was finally completed: the light was first exhibited on 1 September 1858.

Bishop Rock Lighthouse was converted to automatic operation during 1991 with the last keepers leaving the lighthouse on 21 December 1992. It has ten floors, and up to four visitors can stay there for one to three weeks.

Administrative divisions

Scilly forms part of the ceremonial county of Cornwall, and some services are combined with those of Cornwall. However, since 1890, the islands have had a separate local authority. Since the passing of the Isles of Scilly Order 1930, this authority has had the status of a county council and today is known as the Council of the Isles of Scilly.

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