Portland Bill Lighthouse
Isle of Portland, Dorset
1669 Sir John Clayton was granted a patent to erect a lighthouse, but his scheme fell through
Early 18th century: Captain William Holman, supported by the shipowners and Corporation of Weymouth, put a petition to Trinity House for the building of a lighthouse at Portland Bill. Trinity House opposed it suggesting that lights at this point were needless and shipowners could not bear the burden of their upkeep.
1716 After the people of Weymouth continued their petition Trinity House obtained a patent from George I. Two lighthouses were built but were badly maintained
1752 After an inspection Trinity House terminated the lease.
1789 William Johns, a builder of Weymouth under contract to Trinity House, took down one of the towers and erected a new one.
1869 New high and low lighthouses were built
1906 Trinity House replaced the lighthouse with a single tower: the present lighthouse. Construction by Wakeham Bros., of Plymouth, started in October 1903.Chance Brothers and Co of Birmingham supplied and fitted the lantern. The lighthouse was completed in 1905, and the lamp first lit on 11 January 1906[1]
Webpage for Portland Bill lighthouses here