BEACON, a signal for the better securing the kingdom from foreign invasions. See SIGNAL.
On certain eminent places of the country are placed long poles erect, whereon are fastened pitch-barrels to be fired by night, and smoke made by day, to give notice in a few hours to the whole kingdom of an approaching invasion. These are commonly called beacons; whence also comes beaconage — We find beacons familiarly in use among the primitive Britons and Western Highlanders. The besieged capital of one of our northern isles in the third century actually lighted up a fire upon a tower; and Fingal instantly knew "the green flame edged with smoke" to be a token of attack and distress*. And there are to this day several cairns or heaps of stones upon the heights along the coasts of the Harries, on which the inhabitants used to burn beath as a signal of an approaching enemy.