Orkney Islands

Place of the lighthouse

North of Orkney's capital, Kirkwall, is the island of Shapinsay, which can only be reached by boat. On the south side of Shapinsay lies the now uninhabited tidal island of Helliar Holm. Helliar Holm can still be reached on foot from the mainland at very low tide.

In the Orkneyinga Saga it is referred to as both "Hellisey" and "Eller Holm" and John of Fordun refers to it as "Helene-holm".

Building of the Lighthouse

It was originally planned to build the lighthouse on an island between Kirkwall Bay and Shapinsay called Thieves Holm. The story goes that the island of Thieves Holm was used as a place to banish thieves and witches. (see the see map in the right column - click to enlarge). Nevertheless, it was decided to build the lighthouse on the island of Helliar Holm at the Saeve Ness.

The lighthouse was built in 1893 by order of the Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouses (now known as the Northern Lighthouse Board), under the responsibility of the engineer David Alan Stevenson. The lightouse is 13 meter high round withwashed tower.

There is also a two-storey lighthouse keeper's house for the lighthouse keepers and their families. The lighthouse complex is walled with a low wall. The lightkeeper's house has be abandoned after automation of the lighthouse in 1967 and allowed to deteriorate.

The whole was build in the NLB style. That means ocher yellow accents and a black painted lantern house with dome and walkway just below the lantern.

Operational status

After automation in 1967, the lighthouse was handed over to Orkney Islands Council, Marine Services. They now are responsible for the maintenance of the lighthouse.

Additional information

The former optic (3rd Order Fresnel lens) of the lighthouse is now located at the Northern Lighthouse Board Headquarters in George Street Edinburgh in the Stevenson Room.