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 heath as a signal of an approaching enemy.

Beacons are also marks and signs erected on the coasts, for guiding and preserving vessels at sea, by night as well as by day.

The erection of beacons, light-houses, and sea-marks, is a branch of the royal prerogative. The king hath the exclusive power, by commission under his great seal, to cause them to be erected in fit and convenient places, as well upon the lands of the subject as upon the demesnes of the crown: which power is usually vested by letters patent in the office of lord high admiral. And by statute 8 Eliz. c. 13, the corporation of the trinity-house are empowered to set up any beacons or sea-marks wherever they shall think them necessary; and if the owner of the land or any other person shall destroy them, or shall take down any steeple, tree, or other known sea-mark, he shall forfeit 100l. or, in case of inability to pay it, shall be ipso facto outlawed.