Start Point Lighthouse, South Devon, England Aug 20, 2023

Standing tall on a rugged cliff in Devon, England, overlooking the English Channel, the Start Point Lighthouse is probably one of the most renowned maritime structures in the country. Built in 1836, this elegant lighthouse was designed by James Walker—a British civil engineer—and its bright beam guided vessels to safe passage throughout its existence. Towering structures such as this have always played an invaluable role in shaping maritime history and ensuring the safety of seafarers in treacherous waters worldwide. The Start Point Lighthouse is open to the public in the summer months if you find yourself nearby and would like to see it up close.

© Guy Edwardes/Minden Pictures

palette

Today in History

Aug 20, 2024Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA
Aug 20, 2025The citadel in Bonifacio, Southern Corsica, France
Aug 20, 2026An orca near the Chilkat Mountains, Lynn Canal, Alaska, USA

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Aug 9, 2024Inca ruin of Sacsayhuamán near Cusco, Peru
Jun 20, 2025Seljalandsfoss waterfall, Iceland
Oct 8, 2023Veined octopus
Feb 25, 2025Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, United States
Mar 29, 2025Superbloom in Carrizo Plain National Monument, California, United States
Dec 5, 2024Tufa formation on Mono Lake, California, United States
Nov 10, 2025Black-tailed prairie dogs
Apr 27, 2026The glass dome of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan, Italy
Dec 20, 2024Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland
Nov 7, 2024Vancouver Coastal Sea wolves
Jun 28, 2024Chausey Islands
Oct 27, 2023Sligachan Old Bridge, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Jun 29, 2024Beech forest in Nienhagen, Germany
Feb 28, 2024Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland, England
Jun 2, 2025Skipper butterfly on an Echinacea flower
Dec 15, 2024Lake Misurina, Dolomites, Italy
Apr 27, 2025Coastal redwoods in Redwood National and State Parks, California, United States
Apr 24, 2025Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward, Alaska, United States
Jun 17, 2024Green-crowned brilliant
Nov 23, 2025Ammonite fossil from Madagascar
Sep 13, 2025Point Reyes National Seashore
Sep 23, 2025Keel-billed toucan, Costa Rica
Feb 12, 2026Blue-footed booby, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Jan 2, 2026Aerial view of Venice, Italy
Sep 14, 2024Rapa Nui National Park, Easter Island, Chile
Feb 25, 2026Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska, United States
Mar 6, 2026The Wave, Vejle, Denmark
Jan 5, 2025Plum-headed parakeet
Dec 20, 2023Val Gardena, South Tyrol, Dolomites, Italy
Jun 23, 2025Elbe river in Dresden, Saxony, Germany