Morant Point Lighthouse
Encyclopedia
Morant Point Lighthouse is on the easternmost tip of Jamaica
.
Erected in 1841 by Kru men from Africa (who were among the free Africans brought to Jamaica in the period following emancipation
), it is the oldest lighthouse on the island and the first cast iron lighthouse built in the Western Hemisphere.
It consists of a 30 m (100 ft) iron tube, cast in London in 1841, which has a diameter of 5 m (18 ft) at the base and 3 m (11 ft) at the cap with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. To protect against surf during hurricanes, a semicircular masonry wall has been built around the seaward side of the base of the lighthouse.
It was designed by Alexander Gordon and built by George Grove
, later a leading writer on music.
It is listed by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust
as a historic monument, being 'of considerable interest to historians of industrial technology'.
It is maintained by the Port Authority of Jamaica, an agency of the Ministry of Transport and Works.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
.
Erected in 1841 by Kru men from Africa (who were among the free Africans brought to Jamaica in the period following emancipation
Emancipation
Emancipation means the act of setting an individual or social group free or making equal to citizens in a political society.Emancipation may also refer to:* Emancipation , a champion Australian thoroughbred racehorse foaled in 1979...
), it is the oldest lighthouse on the island and the first cast iron lighthouse built in the Western Hemisphere.
It consists of a 30 m (100 ft) iron tube, cast in London in 1841, which has a diameter of 5 m (18 ft) at the base and 3 m (11 ft) at the cap with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. To protect against surf during hurricanes, a semicircular masonry wall has been built around the seaward side of the base of the lighthouse.
It was designed by Alexander Gordon and built by George Grove
George Grove
Sir George Grove, CB was an English writer on music, known as the founding editor of Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians....
, later a leading writer on music.
It is listed by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust
Jamaica National Heritage Trust
The Jamaica National Heritage Trust is responsible for the promotion, preservation, and development of Jamaica's material cultural heritage .The organisation maintains a list of National Heritage Sites in Jamaica....
as a historic monument, being 'of considerable interest to historians of industrial technology'.
It is maintained by the Port Authority of Jamaica, an agency of the Ministry of Transport and Works.