Page 5 - KBHA BULLETIN 6

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to the Atlantic in the West, and even as far as both sides of the English Channel at

Boulogne in France and Dover in England. These lights were well used by both the

Romans and Phoenicians for their sea-going expeditions around the Mediterranean and to
Britain. As with the lighthouse at Alexandria the light sources would have been fires

probably maintained by the incumbent armies of the day.

The decline of commerce in the dark ages halted further developments and it was not until
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the 17 century that the construction of new lighthouses really got going. The first proper
lighthouse was built in England at Spurn Point in 1675. This was followed by the famous

Eddystone lighthouse in 1698. The first lighthouse in America was built in 1716 in Boston
Harbour. This was the start of a vast network of lighthouses throughout the world,

numbering many thousands, and that are still so important today in spite of modern

navigational developments.

Cape Point Lighthouse

With the establishment of Cape Town as a replenishing station, and the resulting
congestion of shipping around Table Bay, it is not surprising that the first South African

lighthouse was built at Green Point in 1824 with Robben Island following in 1865.

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When the Dutch started using Simon’s Town in the early 18 century as a winter
anchorage the need for lighthouses on the coast of the Peninsula and in False Bay became
apparent. This, combined with the growth of shipping to and from the East round Cape

Point, motivated Sir Jahleel Brenton, who was Simon's Town’s Royal Navy
Superintendent, to put forward a proposal for lighthouses to be built at the southern end of

the Peninsula and at the entrance to Simon’s Bay.

Although no action was taken about this request, it did motivate the Cape Colonial

Government to impose a special condition in the agreement when the Cape Point Farm was

granted to John Osmond in 1816. This perpetual quitrent reads:

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