Wyre Light, Offshore lighthouse in Fleetwood, England
Wyre Light is an offshore lighthouse near Fleetwood featuring a hexagonal iron frame that sits atop piles driven into the seabed below. The structure was designed to stand in shallow waters where traditional masonry towers would have been impossible to build.
The structure was designed in 1840 by Alexander Mitchell, an Irish engineer who pioneered the screw-pile method for building lighthouses in shallow waters. This innovation transformed how maritime structures could be constructed around the British coast and beyond.
This navigation structure represents a milestone in maritime engineering, introducing the screw-pile method that influenced lighthouse construction across the British coast.
The structure is visible from nearby viewpoints along the shore and can be approached by boat during calm water conditions. Best viewing times are when water levels are stable and visibility is clear from the surrounding landscape.
The lighthouse was designed by a blind engineer named Alexander Mitchell, who created this screw-pile method despite losing his sight at age 22. His innovation became the standard approach for building lighthouses in shallow water for many decades.
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