Arbroath’s Signal Tower is to become a beacon of solace under six-figure plans to transform the area outside the 210-year-old building.
The landmark beside Arbroath harbour originally served as the shore station for the Bell Rock lighthouse.
Angus Alive has been awarded £143,540 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for a revamp which will create a community garden and courtyard cafe.
And stunning designs give a taster of how the new outdoor area will look when it is completed next year.
The project has already involved award-winning designers linked to V&A Dundee and Arbroath mental health charity Reach Across.
Community workshops
Rachel Jackson of Angus Alive said the ideas emerged from discussions with locals.
“We were supported by the National Heritage Lottery’s Steps to Sustainability project, which allowed us to run a series of workshops with residents and the creative art group at the Reach Across hub in Arbroath who were interested in the history of Signal Tower.
“They were inspired by the iconic building and its role in supporting the lightkeepers on the Bell Rock.
“With the help of V&A Dundee Community Garden designers Linsey McIntosh and Gary Kennedy they learnt new skills that enabled them to create plans for the two spaces.”
“We are absolutely thrilled at the award which we think will make a huge difference in a special location in Arbroath.”
The garden will offer volunteering opportunities.
And the courtyard area will be used for events and activities.
The project is due to be completed by April 2024.
210-year-old building
The Signal Tower was built in 1813 as an operations base for the Bell Rock lighthouse.
It homed the families of keepers based on the Inchcape rock.
Robert Stevenson’s structure remains the world’s oldest sea-washed lighthouse still in operation.
The name comes from the signalling apparatus of a ball hoisted up and down a pole to alert the lighthouse keepers.
The Signal Tower was decommissioned in the 1970s and became a council museum almost 20 years later.
In 2021, a £34,000 project re-opened the spiral staircase in the whitewashed tower of the building.
