Lighting the way: The story of the Bell Rock Lighthouse

Schedule

Thu Nov 13 2025 at 05:30 pm to 06:30 pm

UTC+00:00

Location

National Library of Scotland | Edinburgh, SC

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The Bell Rock Lighthouse has been guiding mariners safely through Scottish waters since 1811. Learn about how it was built in this talk.
About this Event

The Bell Rock lighthouse, built by Scottish Engineer Robert Stevenson, is the world's oldest working sea-washed lighthouse. It has been guiding mariners safely through Scottish waters since 1811.

In this talk Mike Bullock, Chief Executive of the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) will explain how this incredible feat of engineering came about.

Mike will also shine a light on the work of NLB, which has provided a vital safety service for mariners since 1786. As the General Lighthouse Authority for Scotland and the Isle of Man, the organisation currently operates and maintains 208 lighthouses and 174 buoys as well as providing radio aids to navigation at sea.

This event is part of , an annual celebration which marks the birthday of one of Edinburgh’s most famous writers.



About the speaker

Mike Bullock took early retirement from the Royal Navy in the rank of Commodore to join the Northern Lighthouse Board as Chief Executive in April 2014.

He was awarded an MBE in 1990 and an OBE in the 2021 New Year's Honours list for Services to the Safety and Welfare of Seafarers.




When you book an event, your personal information will be held and used by the National Library of Scotland and our third-party suppliers for the purposes of allowing you to attend the event and for audience research. For more information, visit the National Library of Scotland privacy pages, in particular the events notice and feedback and complaints notice. We expect attendees to behave respectfully towards presenters, guests and other audience members.
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Where is it happening?

National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Tickets

GBP 0.00

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