Joseph Nelson was the engineer and builder, but the heavy weathered string-course near the base and the blocked and hooded directional-light window show the influence of Daniel Alexander, who succeeded Samuel Wyatt as consulting engineer[5] to Trinity House, and under whom Nelson served.

[3] In 1987 the lighthouse was converted to automatic operation and up until 1995 was monitored from the Trinity House area control station at Holyhead.

It is now monitored from the Trinity House depot at Harwich,[6] with a local part-time attendant carrying out routine maintenance.

Unlike many other lighthouses, it retains its original gallery railings, which are of iron and bellied (i.e. curved out in width at their crowns) towards the top.

The present revolving apparatus was installed in 1873 and gives a group of five flashes, originally driven by a vapourising oil-lamp, but replaced by electric in 1973.