Goldcliff

The jurisdiction of the Newport Harbour Commissioners in which they are responsible for aids to maritime navigation stretches from Peterstone Church to the West of the River Usk to Goldcliff, a village and headland that sticks out into the River Severn to the East of the river mouth. Located on this headland is the very simple Goldcliff Beacon.

This small steel cabinet structure was first established in 1924, and although several sources claim it was electric from the start, it is topped with what appears to be an AGA navigation beacon with a chimney, very similar to the copper and bronze acetylene powered buoy lanterns in use at the time, and old photos show a sun valve mounted on this lantern, which would’ve been used to cut gas flow to the light during daylight hours.

One side of the square cabinet is a door, likely where Acetylene bottles were kept to fuel the light.

When in service the beacon displayed a white light with a range of six miles, however the beacon is now in a very poor state, with the fresnel lens having been smashed and painted-over, and the cabinet suffering from severe corrosion. Newport Harbour Commissioners no longer maintain this light.