Bidston Observatory on Bidston Hill, Wirral.

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Bidston Observatory on Bidston Hill, Wirral. Liverpool Observatory has since moved to become the Bidston Observatory on Bidston Hill. Bidston Observatory was built in 1866 using local sandstone excavated from the site. One of its functions was to determine the exact time. Up to 18 July 1969, at exactly 1:00 each day, the 'One O'Clock Gun' overlooking the River Mersey near Morpeth Dock, Birkenhead, would be fired electrically from the Observatory. In 1929 the work of the observatory was merged with the University of Liverpool Tidal Institute. The Natural Environment Research Council relocated the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory to the University of Liverpool campus in 2003. There has been a lighthouse on the hill since 1771. The present lighthouse was built in 1873 but has not been used since 1913. Together with the Leasowe Lighthouse, it enabled the ships to avoid the sandbanks in the channel to Liverpool.

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Size: 6047px × 4032px
Location: Bidston Hill, Birkenhead, Merseyside.
Photo credit: © Alan Gillam / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: bidston, hill, institute, laboratory, lighthouse, mersey, navigation, observatory, oceanographic, proudman, river, sandstone, shipping, wirral, wirral.