Location Lowestoft, Suffolk Construction Brick tower Automated 1975 | Year first lit 1874 (current) Height 16 m | |
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Year first constructed 1609 (first)
1628 (second)
1676 (third) Tower shape Cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern Markings / pattern White tower and lantern Similar Cromer Lighthouse, Hilbre Island Lighthouse, Lynmouth Foreland Lighthouse, Berry Head Lighthouse, Skokholm Lighthouse | ||
Drone lowestoft lighthouse north denes beach
Lowestoft Lighthouse is a lighthouse operated by Trinity House located to the north of the centre of Lowestoft in the English county of Suffolk. It stands on the North Sea coast close to Ness Point, the most easterly point in the United Kingdom. It acts as a warning light for shipping passing along the east coast and is the most easterly lighthouse in the UK.
Contents
- Drone lowestoft lighthouse north denes beach
- Lowestoft lighthouse screenprint animation andrew seago
- History
- Current display
- References
The lighthouse was built in 1874 and stands 16 metres (52 ft) tall, 37 metres (121 ft) above sea level. The light, which has a range of 23 nautical miles (43 km; 26 mi), was automated in 1975. The original lighthouses at Lowestoft, which were established in 1609, were the first lights to be built by Trinity House.
Lowestoft lighthouse screenprint animation andrew seago
History
The first two lighthouses in Lowestoft were built in 1609, on the foreshore warn shipping of dangerous sandbanks around the coast. Both were lit originally by candles. By lining up the two lights, vessels could navigate the Stamford Channel which no longer exists. They were rebuilt in 1628 and again in 1676. It was at this time that one light was moved up onto the cliffs above the Denes - the location of the present lighthouse - to assist vessels further out to sea.
The remaining 'Low Light' was discontinued in 1706 following sea encroachment, but re-established in 1730 in a form that could be easily moved in response to further changes to the Stamford Channel and shoreline. It was finally discontinued in August 1923. The 'High Light' tower was rebuilt as the present lighthouse in 1874 with the intention of displaying an electric light, but when the lighthouse was opened paraffin oil was used instead and it was not until 1936 that it was electrified. The lighthouse, along with two cottages originally used by lighthouse keepers, is a Grade II listed building.
The lighthouse, along with Southwold lighthouse to the south, was threatened with closure by Trinity House in 2005, with shipping companies increasingly using satellite navigation systems rather than relying on lighthouses. Both lighthouses were reprieved in 2009 following a review by Trinity House that found that satellite navigation systems were not yet sufficiently reliable.
Current display
The main light at Lowestoft uses a 4th order 250mm catadioptric lens with a range of 23 nautical miles (43 km; 26 mi). The current light characteristic is one white flash every 15 seconds (Fl(1).W.15s).