Description

A pair of beacons or daymarks marking the entrance to Montrose Harbour at the point of Scurdie Ness where the River South Esk enters the sea.

East Beacon is a sharply-tapering, conical, white-washed rubble stone beacon around 4m in height with a graduated ashlar base. West beacon is located higher up the shoreline. It is also conical in shape with a flat top and is constructed from white-washed coursed and snecked masonry. At only around 1.2m in height, the west beacon may not survive to its original height.

Historical development

The beacons are believed to be of 18th-century date (Hume 1976). They were erected to guide the masters of vessels entering the port of Montrose and are marked as 'beacon' on a chart of the harbour of Montrose (surveyed 1833, published 1842). The Ordnance Survey Second Edition map of Forfarshire (published 1904) denotes west beacon as a semaphore.

Statement of Interest

The beacons are rare examples of daymarks dating from the 18^th century and may be the only surviving pair in Scotland (Hume 1976). They form part of an important grouping of buildings with Scurdie Ness Lighthouse to the east, designed by David and Thomas Stevenson and which became operational in 1870. Together these buildings performed a significant function by guiding mariners into the important east coast harbour of Montrose.

Statutory address and listed building record revised in 2021. Previously listed as 'Beacon, Scurdie Ness'.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17774385

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

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  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
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  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)