{{Short description|Island and lighthouse in the Isle of Man}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox islands | name = Chicken Rock | native_name = {{native name|gv|Carrick ny Kirkey}} | image_name = The Chicken Rock Lighthouse (geograph 3893536).jpg | image_caption = Chicken Rock and its 19th-century lighthouse | location = Irish Sea | coordinates = {{coord|54|02|16|N|04|50|19|W|display=inline,title}} | country = Isle of Man | country_admin_divisions_title = Parish | country_admin_divisions = Rushen | population = 0 }}
'''Chicken Rock''' (Manx: {{lang|gv|Carrick ny Kirkey}}) is an isolated rock and the southernmost island administered by the Isle of Man. Situated in the Irish Sea, it lies approximately {{convert|4.5|km|mi}} southwest of Spanish Head on the Manx mainland, and about {{convert|1|mi|km}} south of the Calf of Man. Administratively, the rock falls under the parish of Rushen.
The rock itself is largely a submerged reef at high tide, presenting a historical hazard to shipping navigating the southern coast of the Isle of Man. It is best known for its prominent 19th-century lighthouse.<ref name="GracesGuide">{{cite web |title=Chicken Rock Lighthouse |url=https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Chicken_Rock_Lighthouse |website=Grace's Guide to British Industrial History |access-date=February 26, 2026}}</ref>
== Lighthouse == The need for a light on Chicken Rock was formally recognized in 1866. Prior to its construction, maritime traffic relied on two lighthouses on the nearby Calf of Man. However, Trinity House noted that the Calf of Man lights were frequently obscured by low-lying fog, leaving vessels vulnerable to the reef and nearby Langness.<ref name="NLB">{{cite web |title=Chicken Rock |url=https://www.nlb.org.uk/lighthouses/chicken-rock-2/ |publisher=Northern Lighthouse Board |access-date=February 26, 2026}}</ref>
The task of engineering the new lighthouse was given to the Scottish brothers David and Thomas Stevenson. The structure is a {{convert|44|m|ft|adj=on}} tapered tower constructed from interlocking granite blocks. Because of the harsh wave-swept conditions, the granite was cut and prepared onshore during the winters and laid on the rock over the course of four summer seasons. Construction was completed in December 1874, and the light was first exhibited on 1 January 1875. The total cost of the project was over £64,000.<ref name="GracesGuide" /><ref name="NLB" />
=== 1960 fire and automation === On 23 December 1960, a major fire broke out inside the lighthouse. The blaze caused severe interior damage and trapped the three resident keepers at the top of the burning tower. They were eventually rescued in challenging weather conditions by the RNLI lifeboat from Port St Mary.<ref name="NLB" />
The extensive damage required two years of restoration, during which time a temporary light was exhibited from the Calf of Man. The fire ultimately hastened the end of staffed operation at the site; when repairs were completed in 1962, the lighthouse was fully automated. Today, the active light continues to be owned and maintained by the Northern Lighthouse Board.<ref name="NLB" />
== See also == * List of islands of the Isle of Man
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category}} * [https://www.nlb.org.uk/lighthouses/chicken-rock-2/ Northern Lighthouse Board – Chicken Rock]
Category:Islands of the Isle of Man Category:Lighthouses in the Isle of Man Category:Rushen (parish) Category:Towers completed in 1874 Category:1875 establishments in the Isle of Man Category:Lighthouses completed in 1874