Lighthouses of Southeastern England

This page covers lighthouses of the southeastern England, from Kent in the south through Norfolk on the east coast, including the Thames estuary and London. The south coast of Kent faces the Strait of Dover; the rest of this region faces eastward on the North Sea. London is by far the largest port, but there are many smaller ports. The British system of lighthouse administration is decentralized, with the major towers under the management of Trinity House (a corporation chartered by the Crown) and smaller towers generally under the control of local port authorities. This system has generally assisted lighthouse preservation, and so has the British custom of building very sturdy brick or stone lighthouses at most of the stations. Most of the onshore lighthouses are accessible to visitors, and several of them are major tourist attractions. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from Volume A of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 114. General Sources Trinity House Chartered by Henry VIII in 1514, Trinity House has built and operated lighthouses in Britain for nearly 500 years. About a dozen of the lighthouses have Visitor Centres. Online List of Lights - England Photos posted by Alexander Trabas. Lighthouse E-Clips There is lots of useful information on this site by Michael Millichamp, including his Guide to English and Welsh Lights, an inventory of surviving English and Welsh lighthouses. Lighthouses in England, United Kingdom Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com. Leuchttürme.net - Kent, Sussex Counties Photos posted by Malte Werning. London River Lights Another Michael Millichamp page, including photos and accounts of light towers along the Thames estuary below London. Britische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse. Information about English Lightvessels Lightship information and photos posted by Iris Klempau. Association of Lighthouse Keepers Founded by serving and retired keepers, this lighthouse association is open to everyone.

Southwold Light, April 2007 Creative Commons photo by James Maggs

Strait of Dover Lighthouses
* [Dungeness (3)]

1792 (Samuel Wyatt). Station established 1615. Inactive since 1904. The 35 m (115 ft) tower, similar in design to Smeaton's Tower at Eddystone, was demolished in 1904, but the keeper's houses survive. No photo available. Dungeness Point is the western entrance to the Strait of Dover; it is a broad wedge of land that continuously extends itself into the Channel, making it necessary from time to time to build new lighthouses closer to the end of the point. Located about 600 m (1/3 mile) west of the point. Site open, buildings closed. Owner/site manager: unknown. ARLHS ENG-343.

**** Dungeness (4) (Dungeness Old) 1904. Inactive since 1961. 43.5 m (143 ft) round brick tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted black with white trim; lantern and gallery painted white. Original 1° Fresnel lens. Circular 2-story Coast Guard quarters and detached 1-story keeper's house. A photo is at right, Werning has a fine photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was replaced due to the extension of the point and the fact that its light was partly obscured by a nearby nuclear power plant. Originally painted with a white horizontal band, as seen in Huelse's postcard view, the tower was repainted all black to prevent confusion with its replacement. Privately owned by the Stanners family, it became a very popular tourist attraction. In 2005 the family offered the lighthouse for sale; no price was specified. Probably it was sold, because it appears to be under new management. Located about 450 m (1/4 mi) west of the point. Accessible by road and by railroad from Romney; parking provided. Site open; tower open to guided tours daily in July and August, Thursday through Sunday in May, June, and September and on weekends in March, April, and October. Site manager: The Old Lighthouse at Dungeness. ARLHS ENG-038. * Dungeness (5) 1961. Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); quick white flash every 10 s. 43 m (141 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, flared at the top, with lantern and gallery. Tower has black and white horizontal bands, but these colors are in the concrete, not painted. Fog horn (3 blasts every 60 s). Lighthouse floodlit at night. Werning has a photo, Trabas has a good photo, and Google has a good satellite view. Located on the point. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be viewed from nearby. Operator: Trinity House. ARLHS ENG-085; Admiralty A0876; NGA 1220.

Old Dungeness Light (with the new light at far right), June 2007 anonymous Creative Commons photo

Folkestone Pier

1860. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two white flashes every 10 s; in fog the characteristic changes to a white flash every 2 s. 13 m (43 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery. Tower unpainted; lantern painted white. Fog horn (four blasts every 60 s). Trabas has an excellent photo, Philip Moore has a view from the sea, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the New Pier in Folkestone. Site and tower closed (the pier is not open to the public). Operator: unknown. ARLHS ENG-216; Admiralty A0892; NGA 1228.

* Dubris Pharos Around 130-150 AD. Ruined octagonal flint rubblestone stepped tower built by the Roman government of Britain. Richard White's photo is at right, another excellent photo is available, Wikipedia has a photo, Huelse has a colorized historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This is the tallest Roman ruin in Britain and the only substantial Roman lighthouse ruin anywhere. The surviving portion of the tower is 13 m (46 ft) tall and has three stages (storys) and most of a fourth. Scholars believe the tower originally had eight stages and was about 24 m (80 ft) tall. An open fire was displayed from the top to guide ships into the harbor of Dubris, as Dover was called in Roman times. Since the twelfth century the tower has stood within the walls of Dover Castle, adjacent to the Church of St. Mary in Castro. The tower was used as the bell tower of the church in medieval times, and in the 1580s it was renovated to serve also as a powder magazine. Located on the heights above Dover Harbour. Site open, base of the tower open. Owner/site manager: English Heritage. ARLHS ENG-034. * Admiralty Pier (3) 1908 (station established 1842). Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white flash every 7.5 s. 22 m (72 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Trabas has a good photo, Werning also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse replaced a 9 m (30 ft) tower built in 1876. Located at the end of the pier, which extends 1220 m (4000 ft) west to east enclosing the western side of Dover Harbour. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Dover Harbour Board. ARLHS ENG-036; Admiralty A0900; NGA 1236. * Prince of Wales Pier 1902. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); very quick flashing green light. 14 m (46 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Located at the end of the pier, which separates the outer and inner harbors at Dover. Trabas has a fine photo, Werning has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos misidentified as the Breakwater West End Light, and Google has a satellite view. Accessible by walking the pier, which is very popular for walking and fishing. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Dover Harbour Board. ARLHS ENG-214; Admiralty A0902; NGA 1268. Dover Breakwater West End 1909. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); red light, one 3 s occultation every 30 s. 21 m (70 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. This lighthouse and the Admiralty Pier Light bracket the western entrance to Dover Harbour. Trabas has a good photo, Werning has a photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view showing the entire breakwater and both lighthouses, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the west end of the detached outer breakwater. Site and tower closed. Operator: Dover Harbour Board. ARLHS ENG-294; Admiralty A0924; NGA 1272.

Dubris Pharos, October 2004 Creative Commons photo by Richard White

Dover Breakwater Knuckle

1909. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); four flashes every 10 s, red or white depending on direction. 16 m (52 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Trabas has an excellent photo by Klaus Kern, Werning has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the south end of the knuckle (bend) of the detached outer breakwater. Site and tower closed. Operator: Dover Harbour Board. ARLHS ENG-286; Admiralty A0926; NGA 1276.

South Foreland Low 1793. Inactive since 1904. 15 m (49 ft) octagonal cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Werning has a photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view of the station, and Google has a satellite view. The keeper's cottages formerly attached to the tower have been demolished. Located near the shore, below the high light, on private property. Site and tower closed; the top of the tower can be seen from a distance. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS ENG-130. **** South Foreland (2) (High) 1843 (station established 1793). Inactive since 1988. 21 m (69 ft) octagonal cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white, attached to 1-story keeper's houses. Operational 1° Fresnel lens mounted in the lantern. Trabas has an excellent closeup, Werning also has a good photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The South Foreland is not a prominent cape, but it is the southeasternmost corner of Britain and the eastern entrance to the Strait of Dover. The lighthouse was the scene of a famous experiment on Christmas Eve 1898, when Guglielmo Marconi succeeded in contacting the lightship Goodwin Sands using his newly-invented radio equipment. In 2004 the rotating mechanism of the lens was restored and returned to the tower. Located atop the White Cliffs of Dover about 8 km (5 mi) east of the city near Margaret's-at-Cliffe. Accessible by a walk of about 3 km (2 mi) from the National Trust's White Cliffs parking area or about 1.5 km (1 mi) from Margaret's-at-Cliffe. Site open; tower open to guided tours Thursday through Monday and on school holidays, March through October; tours available by appointment in the winter. Owner/site manager: National Trust. ARLHS ENG-129.

South Foreland Light, January 2007 anonymous Creative Commons photo

Dover Strait Lightships
Trinity House Lightship 19 Varne

1958 (Philip & Son, Dartmouth) (station established 1890). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red flash every 20 s. 40.5 m (133 ft) steel lightship; the light is displayed from a large lantern on a cylindrical mast amidships. Vessel painted red. A closeup photo is available, and Kent Charter Fishing has contributed a photo. This ship served for many years on the Seven Stones station off Land's End; it was transferred to the Varne station in 2003. The ship is unstaffed and operates automatically. Located in the English Channel about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Dover. Accessible only by boat. Site open, vessel closed. Operator: Trinity House. ARLHS ENG-270; Admiralty A0970; NGA 1224.

Trinity House Lightship Sandettié

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 5 s. Steel lightship; the light is displayed from a large lantern on a skeletal tower amidships. Vessel painted red. Fog horn (blast every 30 s). Trabas has a distant view. We do not know the history of this ship, one of the last Trinity House lightships still on station. The ship is unstaffed and operates automatically. The Sandettié station was formerly the responsibility of France, but the last French lightship, BF-6, was withdrawn on on June 3, 1989. (That ship is moored at Dunkerque as an exhibit of the maritime museum.) Located in the North Sea at the eastern entrance to the Strait of Dover, about 13 km (8 mi) north of Calais and 25 km (15 mi) east of the South Foreland. Operator: Trinity House. Admiralty A0994; NGA 8932.

Trinity House Lightship 17 East Goodwin

1964 (Charles Hill, Bristol, England). Active (?); focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 15 s. 40.5 m (133 ft) steel lightship, painted red. The light is shown from a large lantern on a skeletal tower amidships. Kent Charter Fishing has contributed a 2008 photo. The ship is unstaffed and operates automatically. This ship served much of its career on the South Goodwin station; it was apparently transferred to East Goodwin in 2007. Located on the East Goodwin Sands, a shoal about 13 km (8 mi) east of Deal. Accessible only by boat. Site open, vessel closed. ARLHS ENG-189; Admiralty A0984; NGA 1324.

Trinity House Lightship Foxtrot 3

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 10 s. Steel lightship; the light is displayed from a large lantern on a skeletal tower amidships. Vessel painted red. Fog horn (blast every 10 s). A tiny 2008 photo is available. We do not know the history of this ship. Located in the center of the northern entrance to the channel, about 35 km (22 mi) east of the North Foreland and a similar distance northwest of Dunkerque. Accessible only by boat. Site open, vessel closed. Admiralty A0992; NGA 1336.

Northeast Kent Lighthouses

* Ramsgate West Pier (Ramsgate Range Rear) (3) 1842 (John Shaw). Station established 1783. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); continuous red light. 11 m (36 ft) round granite tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is unpainted; lantern painted red. Howard Monks's photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, Werning also has a photo, a historic photo is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The front light of the range is a post light at the end of the east pier. Located at the end of the pier in Ramsgate. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Ramsgate New Port. ARLHS ENG-241; Admiralty A0957.1; NGA 1340. * North Foreland (2) 1691 (height increased in 1793). Station established 1636. Active; focal plane 57 m (187 ft); five white flashes every 20 s. 26 m (85 ft) octagonal cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white, attached to two 2-story keeper's houses. A closeup photo is available, Trabas has a good photo, Werning has a photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This historic lighthouse marks the beginning of the approach to the Thames estuary and the port of London. The tower was privately built and privately maintained until it was purchased by Trinity House in 1832. It was the last manned lighthouse in Britain, finally automated in November 1998. Located at the northeastern corner of Kent, on North Foreland Road 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Broadstairs. Site open; tower was formerly open, but is apparently now closed. Operator: Trinity House. ARLHS ENG-087; Admiralty A0966; NGA 1364. * Margate Pier (2) 1954 (station established 1828). Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); continuous red light. 20 m (66 ft) octagonal stone tower with lantern. A photo is available, Trabas has a fine closeup, Werning has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Huelse has a historic postcard view of the original lighthouse, which was destroyed by a storm in 1953. Located at the end of the breakwater pier in Margate. Site open, tower closed. Operator: unknown. ARLHS ENG-079; Admiralty A1972; NGA 1372.

Ramsgate West Pier Light, February 2007 Creative Commons photo by Howard Monks

Herne Bay

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); quick-flashing white light. 15 m (49 ft) octagonal lantern mounted atop an octagonal concrete building on a platform supported by concrete piles. Trabas has a photo, and Tim Hoare has a 2009 photo. This unusual structure is adjacent to the remains of a former pier. Most of the pier was destroyed by a storm. Located about 1 km (0.6 mi) offshore of Herne Bay, 8 km (5 mi) north of Canterbury. Site and tower closed, although there should be a good view from shore. Admiralty A1976; NGA 1376.

Lightships Reported on the River Medway

Trinity House Lightship 80 Orwell

1914. Decommissioned 1977. Steel lightship, length 35.5 m (116 ft), painted red. The light was shown from a large lantern atop a mast amidships. Alan Watkins has a June 2006 photo of the lightship moored at Hoo, and Ken Brown has a July 2008 photo of two lightships at Hoo, presumably the Orwell and the Nore. This ship served almost entirely on the Seven Stones station. After deactivation it was sold to become the headquarters for the Sea Cadets Corps in Ipswich, which renamed it T.S. Orwell. In October 2004 the Sea Cadets sold the ship for £5,000, its scrap value, but it shortly appeared for sale on Sotheby's list with a price tag of £85,000. After being sold at least once and perhaps twice more, it found a new owner who has refurbished it as a houseboat. As of July 2008 it appeared to be in very good condition. Site apparently open, vessel closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS ENG-325.

Trinity House Lightship 86 Nore

1931. Decommissioned 1974. Steel lightship, length 26.2 m (86 ft), painted red. The light was shown from a large lantern atop a mast amidships. Alan Watkins has a June 2006 photo of the lightship moored at Hoo, Doug Marsh has a closeup of the owner in the lantern, a 2009 photo is available, and Ken Brown has a July 2008 photo of two lightships at Hoo, presumably the Orwell and the Nore. The ship served off Scotland on the Edinburgh station and off Ireland on the Cork station. After decommissioning, it was sold to the Taylor Woodrow Maritime Heritage Site at St. Katherines Dock in London. Renamed Nore, it was used as office space. In 1996 it was sold to a private individual, who has moored it at Port Werburgh Marina in Hoo as a residence. When Iris Klempau visited Hoo in July 2008, she found the ship to be in poor condition. Site apparently open, vessel closed. Owner/site manager: private.

Trinity House Lightship 95 Inner Dowsing

1939. Decommissioned 2004. Steel lightship, length 40.85 m (134 ft), painted red. The light was shown from a large lantern atop a skeletal tower amidships. The ship served many stations, most recently serving as the Inner Dowsing. In December 2004 the lightship was moored at Rochester for sale for £110,000. In July 2007, Paul G. Uk took a photo of the ship moored at Hoo. As of July 2008, it is still for sale. Site status unknown. Site manager: private. ARLHS ENG-272.

Trinity House Lightship 88 Lord Nelson

1936. Decommissioned 1977. Steel lightship, length 30 m (99 ft), painted red. The ship served on the Cockle and Cork stations. It was sold to become the headquarter for the Sea Cadets Corps in Norwich, which renamed it T.S. Lord Nelson. The light tower, removed before the sale, was transferred to Lightship 87 at Ipswich (see below). The current status of this ship is unclear. In October 2004, Klempau reported it was moored at Rochester and painted blue instead of red. Doug Marsh has a closeup photo of the bow of the ship, taken in March 2006. More information is needed. Location, site status, and ownership unknown. ARLHS ENG-327.

Trinity House Lightship 16 (1) Inner Dowsing

1840. Decommissioned 1945. 26.7 m (87 ft) wood lightship, now brought onshore and stripped of its masts. A December 2007 photo is available. This is the old LV 16, not to be confused with the more modern Lightship 16 now at Colchester (see below). This ship served many stations, but it was on the Inner Dowsing station when it was retired. The ship was first sold to the Benfleet Marina, but in 1983 it was brought to the Medway Bridge Marina in Rochester and opened as a private club. Since 1989 it has been a restaurant open to the public. Located at the marina, at the end of Manor Lane and just downstream from the M2 expressway bridge in Rochester. Site open, restaurant open daily. Owner: Inner Dowsing Lightship Restaurant. Site manager: Medway Bridge Marina.

London and Lower Thames Lighthouses

Isle of Grain

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); quick-flashing light, white, red, or green depending on direction. 20 m (66 ft) triangular skeletal tower, mounted on a wood equipment room supported by piles. Tower painted red. According to NGA, the tower also carries diamond-shaped daymark painted red and white, but the daymark is not seen in Trabas's photo. Google has a good satellite view. This is the leading light for vessels entering the Medway. Located off Port Victoria Road at the eastern end of the Isle of Grain. Site status unknown. Admiralty A2009.7; NGA 1400.

#[Shornmead (1)]

1913. Inactive since 2004. 14.5 m (48 ft) square skeletal tower, upper part enclosed, with lantern and gallery, mounted on timber pilings. A metal walkway connected the tower to the riverbank. No photo available. Millichamp visited the light in 2003 and found it was scheduled to be replaced by a modern aid; this happened sometime in 2004. Millichamp also has a photo of the old light (at the bottom of the page) standing on the Denton pier of the Port Authority after its removal.

* [Shornmead (2)]

2004 (station established 1913). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); two flashes every 10 s, white, red, or green depending on direction. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical tower with three galleries. Tower painted red with one white horizontal band. Trabas has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. The light stands in the water, no longer connected to shore. Located on the south bank of the estuary near Cliffe, at the lower end of the Gravesend Reach. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Port of London Authority. ARLHS ENG-281; Admiralty A2096.

* Gravesend Royal Terrace Pier

Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 14 m (46 ft); continuous red light. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) light tower with an open cupola-style lantern rising from a 1-story pier building. Tower painted brown, lantern white. Trabas has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. The pier, built in 1844, has an illustrious history. "Royal" was added to the name when Princess Alexandra of Denmark arrived there in 1863 to marry the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. Located on Royal Pier Road in Gravesend, about 500 m (0.3 mi) east of the town pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty A2098.

* Northfleet Lower

1859 (?). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); white or red light, depending on direction, occulting once every 5 s. 16 m (53 ft) four-legged circular skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, and three landings packed with equipment. Entire lighthouse painted red. This is the oldest of the River Thames light stations. Millichamp has two more photos (4/5 of the way down the page) taken by the Dartford and Gravesend Building Preservation Trust; hopefully this mean this unusual tower will be preserved. Google has a satellite view. Located on the India Arms Wharf in Northfleet, on the south side of the river. Apparently accessible by walking the wharf. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Port of London Authority (originally Trinity House). ARLHS ENG-089; Admiralty A2118.

* Northfleet Upper (2)

1972 (station established 1926). Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 8 s on, 2 s off. Lantern mounted on the roof of an 8-story office building owned by Lafarge Cement UK, Ltd. Lantern painted red. A larger version of Millichamp's photo is available (a little over halfway down the page), Trabas has a closeup of the light, and Google has a satellite view. This light replaced a black iron skeletal tower at the end of a short jetty belonging to the Associated Portland Cement company, probably a predecessor of Lafarge Cement. Located on the waterfront just west of the lower light. Site open. Operator: Port of London Authority (originally Trinity House). Admiralty A2119.

Stoneness

1885. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); green flash every 2.5 s. 12 m (38 ft) square skeletal tower, upper part enclosed, with lantern and gallery. Tower and lantern painted red, watch room white. Millichamp also has another photo taken by the port authority. Located on the south bank of the river near the Dartford Bridge. Site status unknown, tower closed. Operator: Port of London Authority (originally Trinity House). ARLHS ENG-289; Admiralty A2126.

* Blackwall (Trinity House Wharf) 1863. Inactive since 1988. Hexagonal brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story brick depot buildings. Tower unpainted, lantern painted black. The lighthouse, part of the Trinity House lighthouse depot, was used for training purposes until Trinity House moved its operations to Harwich in 1988. Millichamp has a good photo (second row, left), Stephen and Lucy Dawson have posted a photo taken from the river (sixth photo on the page), and Google has a satellite view. Martin Stewart's October 2005 photo shows some possible restoration work in progress, and by the time of Fin Fahey's February 2006 photo at right the building had reopened as venue and exhibition space. Located on the Trinity Buoy Wharf in Blackwall at the entrance to Bow Creek, opposite the London Millennium Dome. Site and building open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Trinity Buoy Wharf. ARLHS ENG-275. * Trinity House Lightship 93 1939 (Phillip & Son, Dartmouth). Decommissioned 2002. 40.85 m (134 ft) steel lightship with square pyramidal light tower, lantern, and gallery. Entire ship painted red. Trinity Buoy Wharf has a good photo, Fin Fahey has a good closeup, and Google has a satellite view. The ship served a large part of its career on the Galloper station, but also had several other assignments. It was sold at auction in September 2004. It is now owned by photographer Michele Turriani, who uses it as a studio. Moored at the Trinity Buoy Wharf in Blackwall, a few feet from the Blackwall lighthouse; Paul Featherstone has a photo showing both. Site open, ship closed. Owner/site manager: private.

Blackwall Light, February 2006 Creative Commons photo by Fin Fahey

Essex Lighthouses
* Trinity House Lightship 38 Gull (Brake)

1860. Decommissioned 1946. 27.5 m (90 ft) wood lightship; the light was shown from a lantern on a mast amidships. After serving on the Nab and Would stations, the ship spent its later career mostly as the Brake. The ship sank in 1929 after a collision with the liner City of York. Raised and repaired, it continued on the Brake station until it suffered another collision in 1940. Its last service as the Gull was quite brief. In 1946 it was sold as the club ship of the Thurrock Yacht Club at Grays. After the clubhouse was moved onshore, the ship did not find another use. Beached on the Thames next to the club, it has been vandalized repeatedly and is now in a state of collapse. Clive Power has another sad photo, Anna Krákorova has 2008 photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the north bank of the Thames near the intersection of Argent Street and Thames Road in Grays. Site open; keep off the ship. Owner: Thurrock Yacht Club.

* Trinity House Lightship 44 Newarp

1869 (C. Hill & Sons, Bristol). Decommissioned 1945. 32 m (105 ft) wood lightship. The ship was stationed off Caernarvon Bay, Wales, and later for many years on the Newarp station. After being decommissioned, it was sold to the Erith Yacht Club and later the Pitsea Yacht Club. The abandoned ship is aground in a creek in the Wat Tyler Country Park on the south side of Pitsea. Klempau also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Site open; keep off the ship. Owner: unknown.

Gunfleet

1850. Inactive since 1920. Screwpile tower, originally with a lantern mounted on the roof of the hexagonal keeper's quarters. The lantern may have been removed; this isn't clear from available sources. In 1974 the lighthouse was briefly occupied by a "pirate" offshore radio station, but the operators were evicted. Presently the tower carries meteorological instruments. Located 10 km (6 mi) off Frinton-on-Sea at the northern entrance to the Thames embayment. Accessible only boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Gunfleet Sands Windfarm. ARLHS ENG-049.

* Trinity House Lightship 15 Trinity

1955. Decommissioned 1988. 36.3 m (119 ft) two-masted steel lightship; light tower with lantern and gallery amidships. Vessel painted red. Built by Philip & Son, Ltd., of Dartmouth. Andrew Dunn has a nice view of the ship and also a closeup photo, Barry Slemmings has another closeup, and Google has a satellite view. The ship served 1960-69 as the Scarweather off the Tyne estuary in the North Sea, and then 1969-80 as the Swansea in the Bristol Channel. In 1988 it was sold to Fellowship Afloat, a Christian organization for adventure and exploring the environment. The ship provides accommodations for participants in Fellowship Afloat programs. Beached on Woodrolfe Creek at Tollesbury, on the north side of the Blackwater estuary. Site open, vessel closed to the public. Owner/site manager: Fellowship Afloat Charitable Trust. ARLHS ENG-320.

* Trinity House Lightship 16 Colne Light

1954. Decommissioned 1988. 36.3 m (119 ft) two-masted steel lightship; light tower with lantern and gallery amidships. Vessel painted red. Bill Wellham has an excellent 2008 photo, another photo is available, and Google has a fine satellite view. We need more information on the history of this vessel; it is known to have been serving on the South Goodwin station when it was damaged in 1960. In 2002 the ship was painted and refurbished for use as a conference facility and party venue. Moored on the King Edward Quay at Hythe, a dockside area on the Colne estuary near Colchester. Site open, vessel closed to the public. Owner: Colchester Sea Cadets. ARLHS ENG-321.

** Bateman's Tower

Date unknown (tower built 1883). Active (privately maintained); focal plane 12 m (39 ft); continuous yellow light. 10 m (33 ft) octagonal cylindrical masonry tower with observation room and a conical roof. The tower is unpainted. Trabas has a closeup photo, another recent photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. John Bateman built this tower for his daughter, who was suffering from tuberculosis. The roof was removed during World War II, when the tower was used for observation. In 2005, the tower was restored and a replica of the original roof was installed; this project was carried out by the Colne Yacht Club with funding from the Heritage Lottery. Located on Westmarsh Point on the east side of the River Colne in Brightlingsea. Site open; tower open during special events. Admiralty A2187; NGA 1440.

* Dovercourt Low (Range Front)

1863. Inactive since 1917. 8 m (27 ft) hexagonal lantern, watch room, and gallery on four cast iron screwpile legs. Tower painted black, lantern white with a black roof. Rennie Chivers has a good 2007 photo, and Google has a satellite view. The Dovercourt Range Lights replaced the Harwich Range Lights in 1863. The lighthouses were restored in the 1980s. In 2005 both Dovercourt lights were leased to Tony O'Neil, custodian of the Harwich High Lighthouse, who planned to install cameras in the tower so visitors to the Dovercourt High Light can view its interior. Located just offshore at Dovercourt, a town on the south side of Harwich; easily visible from the promenade. Site open, tower closed--but nothing prevents visitors from climbing the external ladders to the gallery. Owner/site manager: Harwich Town Council. ARLHS ENG-037.

* Dovercourt High (Range Rear) 1863. Inactive since 1917. 14 m (45 ft) hexagonal lantern, watch room, and gallery on six cast iron legs. Tower painted black, lantern white with a black roof. Arthur Pijpers has a good photo, Martin Lucas also has a photo, a 2009 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The Dovercourt Range Lights replaced the Harwich Range Lights in 1863. The lighthouses were restored in the 1980s. In 2005 both Dovercourt lights were leased to Tony O'Neil, custodian of the Harwich High Lighthouse, who plans to open a lighthouse museum in the tower. Located on the beach, near the seaside promenade at Dovercourt, on the south side of Harwich. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Harwich Town Council. ARLHS ENG-215. *** Harwich Low (Range Front) (3) 1818 (John Rennie Sr.) (station established 1665). Inactive since 1863. 9 m (30 ft) nine-sided, 3-story round cylindrical tower with gallery; the light was shown through a window of the top story. Tower painted white with a gray roof. Howard Ihnat has a 2007 closeup, the Harwich Society has the history of the station, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was replaced in 1727 by a wood tower shown in a well known painting by John Constable. The present lighthouse was transferred to the Harwich Borough Council in 1909, but Trinity House reclaimed it briefly (1970-74) as a pilot station. Since 1980 it has housed a small maritime museum. Volunteers repainted the lighthouse in March 2009 and were stunned when vandals covered it with graffiti within hours. Located on the North Sea promenade off the Harbour Crescent in Harwich. Site open, museum open daily (?). Owner: Tendring District Council. Site manager: The Harwich Society. ARLHS ENG-092. *** Harwich High (Range Rear) (2) 1818 (John Rennie Sr.) (station established 1665). Inactive since 1863. 21 m (70 ft) nine-sided brick tower; the light was shown through a window of the top story. Kit Reynolds's photo is at right, the Harwich Society has the history of the station, and Google has a satellite view. The light was originally shown from a lantern atop the town gate. The present lighthouse was transferred to the Harwich Borough Council in 1909. Partially restored by the town in 1974, the tower stood empty until 1991, when it was leased as a wireless museum. Located at the south end of West Street in downtown Harwich. Site open, museum open daily (?). Owner: Tendring District Council. Site manager: National Vintage Wireless and Television Museum Trust. ARLHS ENG-093.

Harwich High Light, April 2005 Creative Commons photo by Kit Reynolds

Trinity House Lightship 18 St. Gowan

1958 (Philip & Son, Dartmouth). Decommissioned 1995. 40.5 m (133 ft) steel lightship; the light is displayed from a large lantern on a cylindrical mast amidships. Vessel painted red with yellow trim. An April 2009 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. After being withdrawn from service, the ship was first sold to a company planning a marina development in Harwich. After this development failed to materialize, it was sold again and served from 1999 to 2007 as a floating radio station off Harwich. It the spring of 2008 it was towed to Portland for the filming of a movie, The Boat That Rocked. The ship returned to Harwich, and on Easter weekend 2009 BBC Essex broadcast from the vessel. Moored at the foot of West Street in Harwich. Site open, vessel status unknown. Owner: Pharos Trust.

Trinity House Lightship 22

Date unknown. Tom Donoghue has a photo of this recently active lightship moored in the Stour estuary off Harwich on May 20, 2008. We need information on the status of this vessel; according to Iris Klempau it has been anchored for several months in the Stour. Donoghue assumed the ship was from the East Goodwin station off Deal, but the ship bears no visible nameplate. It might have been on the Sunk Centre station (next entry).

Trinity House Lightship Sunk Centre

Date unknown (lightship station established 1802). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); two white flashes, separated by 5 s, every 20 s. Steel lightship; the light is displayed from a square skeletal tower amidships. Vessel painted red. An October 2008 photo is available. This lightship is part of the traffic separation scheme for vessels approaching or leaving the Thames. Located in the North Sea about 30 km (19 mi) east southeast of Harwich. Accessible only by boat. Site open, vessel closed. ARLHS ENG 231; Admiralty A2170; NGA 1420

Suffolk Lighthouses

* Trinity House Lightship 87 1932. Decommissioned 1973. Steel lightship, length 30 m (99 ft), painted red. Google has a satellite view. The ship served on the East Goodwin, Mid-Barrow, and Cromer stations. It was sold to the Haven Ports Yacht Club in Ipswich, which has used the vessel as its club ship ever since. Before the sale, the light tower was removed and transferred to Inner Dowsing light platform. The club was able to acquire the light tower of Lightship 88 as a substitute, although the two towers are not identical. Moored at Levington Marina near Ipswich. Site open, vessel closed. Owner/site manager: Haven Ports Yacht Club. ARLHS ENG-326. * Orfordness (High) (3) 1793 (station established 1637). Active; focal plane 28 m (92 ft); white flash every 5 s. 30 m (98 ft) round old-style brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with two horizontal red bands. Rotating 1st order Chance Brothers Fresnel lens (1914). J. Graham's closeup photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The tower was formerly attached to two keeper's houses, which were demolished in 1959. This famous lighthouse is gravely endangered. Orford Ness is a promontory midway on a 20 km (13 mi) long barrier island off southeastern Suffolk. There have been as many as eight low lighthouses and three high lighthouses here. The 1792 low lighthouse was lost to beach erosion in 1887, and by 2004 there was concern about rapid beach erosion near the surviving lighthouse. In March 2009, Trinity House announced that the lighthouse could fall in as little as five years, and a decision to move or demolish it was needed within two years. The Ness was a restricted military area for many years; it was opened to the public by the National Trust in 1995 as a nature reserve and historic site. Located about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Orford; accessible by passenger ferry and hiking trail. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Trinity House. Site manager: National Trust (Orford Ness National Nature Reserve). ARLHS ENG-096; Admiralty A2258; NGA 1564.  ** Southwold 1890. Active; focal plane 37 m (122 ft); four flashes every 20 s, white or red depending on direction. 31 m (102 ft) round brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white, attached to 2-story keeper's house. James Maggs's photo is at the top of this page, the Southwold Museum has a page on the lighthouse, Trabas has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located in the center of the seaside resort town of Southwold, about 15 km (9 mi) south of Lowestoft. Site open, tower open to guided tours on weekends, Wednesdays, and bank holidays April thorugh October. Operator: Trinity House. Site manager: Southwold Millennium Foundation. ARLHS ENG-135; Admiralty A2272; NGA 1588.

Orfordness Light, July 2006 Creative Commons photo by J. Graham

* Pakefield

1832 (Richard Suter). Inactive since 1864. 9 m (30 ft) round brick tower, painted white. Google has a satellite view. The usefulness of the lighthouse was short-lived, as the coastal channel shifted away from its location. In 1929 it was sold to the owners of the neighboring Pakefield Hall, which later became Pontin's Holiday Park. The lighthouse was slightly damaged by machine gun fire during a German air raid on May 12, 1943. In 2000, local volunteers renovated the lighthouse as a Coastwatch station. Located off London Road (A12) about 3 km (2 mi) south of Pakefield, a town just south of Lowestoft. Site open, tower closed. Owner: private. Site manager: National Coastwatch Institution. ARLHS ENG-098.

* Lowestoft South Pier

1847. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red light, 4 s on, 1 s off. 9 m (30 ft) hexagonal cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, rising from the center of a 1-story pavilion (used as a pilot station). Lighthouse painted white. Fog horn (4 blasts every 60 s). Trabas has a photo, Peter Byron has a photo of both pier lighthouses, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the end of the stone pier marking the narrow entrance to the harbor of Lowestoft. Accessible by walking the pier. Operator: Port of Lowestoft. ARLHS ENG-264; Admiralty A2284; NGA 1604.

* Lowestoft North Pier

1847. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green light, 4 s on, 1 s off. 9 m (30 ft) hexagonal cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, rising from the center of a 1-story pavilion. Lighthouse painted white. Trabas has a photo, Peter Byron has a photo of both pier lighthouses, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the end of the stone pier marking the narrow entrance to the harbor of Lowestoft. Accessible by walking the pier. Operator: Port of Lowestoft. ARLHS ENG-263; Admiralty A2286; NGA 1600.

* Lowestoft (High) (5) 1874 (station established 1609). Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); white flash every 15 s. 16 m (52 ft) round brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white, attached to 2-story keeper's house. Ian Davey's photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. England's oldest official light station celebrates its 400th anniversary in 2009. Actually, no one is sure when the first light was shown, but Trinity House took over its administration and built a new light in 1609. It was replaced in 1628 and again in 1676. A series of low lights, many of them temporary, were used in conjunction with the high lighthouse. PortCities London has a drawing of the 1832 low light, and Mike Lewis has posted a historic photo of the 1866 low lighthouse, which was discontinued and demolished in 1923. The lighthouse marks Lowestoft Ness, the easternmost point of the British Isles. It overlooks Sparrow's Nest Park and the Lowestoft and East Suffolk Maritime Museum, which sometimes conducts walking tours that include a visit to the light station. Located on Yarmouth Road (A12), on a bluff about 1.5 km (1 mi) north of the Lowestoft harbor entrance. On-street parking available. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Trinity House. ARLHS ENG-072; Admiralty A2280; NGA 1620.

Lowestoft Light photo copyright Ian Davey; used by permission

Norfolk Lighthouses
* Gorleston South Pier (2)

1955 (station established 1852). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red flash every 3 s. 8 m (26 ft) square 2-story brick and concrete building with two galleries; the light is mounted on the roof along with communications equipment, harbor control lights, and the fog horn (three blasts every 60 s). Lower story is white, upper story unpainted red brick. Richard Barnes has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was an octagonal brick tower of similar height. The present lighthouse was presumably built as a harbormaster's office, but it is now a Coastwatch station. Located at the end of the south pier in Gorleston, the seaport on the south side of Great Yarmouth. Operator: Great Yarmouth Port Authority. Site manager: National Coastwatch Institution. ARLHS ENG-221; Admiralty A2304; NGA 1624.

* Gorleston (Range Rear)

1878. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); continuous red light; also the rear light of the harbor entrance range is mounted low on the tower at a focal plane of 7 m (23 ft); white light, 4 s on, 2 s off. 21 m (69 ft) round brick tower, unpainted, with lantern and gallery. Gary Skipper has a good 2007 photo, Ron Nicholson has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The River Yare makes a right-angle bend to the east just before reaching the sea, and this lighthouse stands by the bend displaying its light through the river mouth. Located at the end of Pier Road in Gorleston. Operator: Great Yarmouth Port Authority. ARLHS ENG-303; Admiralty A2306.1; NGA 1636.

* Winterton (3)

1840 (station established 1616). Inactive since 1921. 19 m (62 ft) round brick tower, painted white. The lantern has been replaced by a circular observation room. Millichamp has a historic postcard view (about halfway down the page) of the lighthouse with its lantern. Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was replaced in 1687. The light was the rear light of a range from 1677 to 1791, when the Happisburgh lighthouse was built. The present lighthouse and keeper's house are a private residence. The property was for sale in 2005, but we do not know if it was sold. Located off the Holway on the south side of Winterton-on-Sea, a seaside resort village about 10 km (6 mi) north of Great Yarmouth. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS ENG-310.

** Happisburgh (High) 1791. Active (privately maintained); focal plane 41 m (135 ft); three white flashes every 30 s. 26 m (85 ft) round brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. 1st order Fresnel lens (1868) in use. The two 2-story brick keeper's houses have been private residences since the light was automated in 1929. The name of this lighthouse is pronounced "Haisbro." A photo is at right, Trabas has an excellent photo, and Google has an excellent satellite view. This historic light was declared redundant by Trinity House in 1988, but a local trust was organized to continue its operation. In 1990 a special act of Parliament chartered the Happisburgh Lighthouse Trust as Britain's first (and, so far, only) private lighthouse authority, allowing Trinity House to transfer ownership and operation to the trust. The lighthouse was originally accompanied by a low light, which was deactivated in 1883. In 2008, ruins of the low light were visible on the beach, as seen in Gary Troughton's photo and a second photo. The lighthouse was repainted and repaired in 2009 at a cost of £35,000. Located in Happisburgh, a seaside village on the "shoulder" of Norfolk, about 25 km (15 mi) northeast of Norwich. Site open; tower open to guided tours on selected Sunday afternoons in the summer, or by prior arrangement. Owner: Happisburgh Lighthouse Trust. Site manager: Friends of Happisburgh Lighthouse. ARLHS ENG-050; Admiralty A2336; NGA 1668. * Cromer (3) 1833 (station established around 1719). Active; focal plane 84 m (276 ft); white flash every 5 s. 18 m (59 ft) octagonal cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white, attached to two 2-story keeper's houses. The houses are available for overnight accommodations. A page for the lighthouse is available, Trabas has a fine closeup photo, a 2007 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The light station is about 400 m (1/4 mi) from the cliffs overlooking the North Sea. These cliffs are subject to rapid beach erosion. The first lighthouse was built privately in 1676 and never lit due to opposition from Trinity House; it collapsed over the cliff in 1700. Trinity House built a brick lighthouse in 1719. The present lighthouse was built in 1833 when it appeared that the 1719 tower would soon collapse; it finally did so in 1866. Located on a high point above the cliffs east of Cromer, a town about 30 km (19 mi) north of Norwich. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Trinity House. ARLHS ENG-028; Admiralty A2342; NGA 1676.

Happisburgh Light, April 2007 anonymous Creative Commons photo

** Hunstanton (3)

1840 (station established 1665). Inactive since 1921. 19 m (61 ft) round cylindrical brick tower rising attached to 2-story brick keeper's house. Entire building painted white. Lighthouse Explorer has a good photo by Tony Denton, Richard Brown has a 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. For many years lights were shown from St. Edmund's Chapel, which was built in 1272; a photo shows the chapel ruins close to the lighthouse. The original wood lighthouse burned in 1777 and was replaced the next year by a second wood lighthouse. The second light was one of the first lighthouses to burn oil. Trinity House acquired the light station in 1837 and completed the present building in 1840. After deactivation the station was sold as a private residence, and the private owners built an additional circular story to replace the original lantern. In 2007 the present owner, 60s rock star Bip Weatherall, placed the lighthouse on sale, and in late 2008 he lowered the price tag to £499,000. The house is now available for weekly rental, and the tower has been opened for climbing. The light stands at the eastern entrance to The Wash, the U-shaped bay between Norfolk and Lincolnshire. Located on Lighthouse Lane on the north side of Hunstanton, a town about 30 km (19 mi) north of King's Lynn. Site open; tower open but we do not have schedule information. Owner: private. Site manager: Norfolk Country Cottages. ARLHS ENG-056.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

• Chapman (1851-1957), Thames estuary. ARLHS ENG-022.
• Felixstowe (1861-1925), Suffolk. ARLHS ENG-302.
• Maplin (1838-1932), Thames estuary. ARLHS ENG-078.
• Mucking Flat (1851-1954), Thames estuary. ARLHS ENG-306.
• Purfleet (1828-1870), Thames estuary. ARLHS ENG-307.
• Whitstable (1830s-1960s), north Kent. ARLHS ENG-309.

Notable faux lighthouses:

• East Nene (1826) was never lit as a lighthouse. It is an 18 m (60 ft) old-style (bluntly conical) brick tower crowned by an octagonal brick lantern room with circular windows. Lighthouse painted white. The tower is attached to a 1-story dwelling, which is not the original house; it was added early in the 20th century. From 1933 to 1939 the house was occupied by Sir Peter Scott (son of the Antarctic explorer), a famous naturalist and conservationist. As a result the lighthouse is often called "Sir Peter Scott's Lighthouse." Located on the east bank of the Nene Cut, the artificial outlet of the Nene River, just above The Wash.
• West Nene (1826) was also never lit as a lighthouse. The tower is attached to a 1-story modern dwelling. Located on the west bank of the Nene Cut, the artificial outlet of the Nene River, just above The Wash.

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Posted August 27, 2004; checked and revised July 30, 2009. Lighthouses: 38, lightships: 17. Site copyright 2009 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.