Princess Anne helped light up North Queensferry as she made history at a historic landmark.
Under blazing skies, the Princess Royal relit the lamp of what is thought to be the smallest light tower in the world.
After a struggle with the matches, the light was beaming out across the Forth from North Queensferry for the first time in decades.
The Robert Stevenson-designed tower, only 21ft high and with room enough for two, was lying derelict for over a century after it stopped operating back in 1890.
It has remained unlit apart from a brief spell just before the first world war.
The tower is of great historic significance. Not only was it designed by the world renowned lighthouse engineer but it marks the northern end of the Queensferry Passage, the route across the Forth that brought south and north Scotland together, originally identified by Queen Margaret in the 11th century.
Stevenson designed the harbour light which sat on top of the Signal House on the pier which worked as a lighthouse, but it was too high to be useful as a harbour light so he went on to design the purpose-built tower in 1817, and the original light on the Signal House was transferred to it.
North Queensferry Heritage Trust, which has a 21-year lease for the light tower from Fife Council, undertook the £75,000 restoration project in 2007 with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Fife Environment Trust, Fife Council and its own volunteers.
When the trust finally started the restoration, repairs to the external stonework were the first priority-although it was still in a fair state considering its age and weathering.
The cast-iron supports and window frames of the light room showed considerable deterioration and were replaced using the only original window frame as a template.
To complete the restoration the trust installed a replica light copied from an original held by the National Museum of Scotland. The trust plans to open the tower to the public and allow visitors to become honorary keepers by lighting the lamp to standard flame height.
That was something which proved a bit tricky at the opening, which was watched by young pupils from North Queensferry Primary School and a large crowd.
It took the princess and trust chairman James Lawson a couple of tries before the light once again shone from the small tower.
“It’s a great honour that the Princess Royal agreed to be the first to relight the flame and be awarded honorary keeper status,” Mr Lawson said.
“When we first discussed restoring this tiny but significant piece of maritime history, I am not sure we thought it would take over three years to achieve.
“But, with the commitment of the community, the companies who carried out the refurbishment and the support from our funders, the light tower has been restored to full working order for the first time in around 120 years.”
Mr Lawson said it was hoped the light tower, believed to be the smallest operational in the world, would become a destination for those with an interest in light houses and towers from around the globe and would put North Queensferry firmly on the tourist map.
Colin McLean, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, added that the fund was delighted to help get the important community landmark shining again.
After descending the circular stairwell, the princess unveiled a plaque and signed the visitors’ book before chatting at length to primary school pupils, who told her about their projects on the tower.
She was presented with a book of artwork, A Light House Project, by primary six pupil Georgia White (11).
Princess Anne then made her way on foot to a private reception for those who had been involved in the restoration.
The last royal visit to North Queensferry was by Queen Victoria and Albert in 1842, when they crossed the Queensferry Passage to the town pier.
At the reception Princess Anne presented Euan Colston (11) with a prize for his winning artwork for the project.
The princess was given a certificate by Mr Lawson, making her an honorary keeper of the light tower.