Jacob’s Ladder in Falmouth has recently had new handrails fitted with state of the art LED lighting. We spoke to James Lantsbery of Cornwall County Council about why this scheme is so special.

“Jacob’s Ladder has a lot of history behind it. The steps are named after Jacob Hamblen, a local businessman who owned property at the top and bottom of the slope. In 1840, he had the 111 granite steps constructed between the Moor and Vernon Place, to enable him to move easily between his businesses.

However, until this project, the only light on the steps was provided by the street lighting at the top and bottom. This meant that many of the steps lay in near darkness, making the route a potential hazard.

We have spent many hours seeking a suitable solution to make the steps safer. The main constraint comes from the unique nature of the steps, and in particular, the need to avoid creating a detrimental impact on the appearance of the historic structures of the buildings lining the route. This proved a real challenge, as until recently the lighting technology available didn’t lead us towards an acceptable solution.

The old handrail was made up of crude sections of wrought iron work and cast iron pipe, which needed updating. For the new handrail, we selected a high quality contemporary design, which complements the works carried out elsewhere in Falmouth as part of the Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme (HERS).

To ensure durability of the new handrails we selected a quality stainless steel finish. The LED lighting strips provide a uniform level of light along the entire length of the flight of steps. This allows pedestrians to safely use Jacobs Ladder in the dark and enhances the appearance of the steps by creating an attractive architectural feature.

The LEDs are fitted in such a way that in the event of a failure, the remaining LEDs will still operate ensuring that all the other sections of the steps remain lit. This solution also enabled the steps to be lit fully without the need to lay cables or disturb any ground, as all the cabling is carried within the central rail."

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