Southwold lighthouse

Southwold Lighthouse stands on the Suffolk coast, a white brick tower 31 metres tall. It was built in 1890 to guide ships into Southwold harbour and warn of the nearby Barnard sands and Sizewell Bank. The lantern and lens had originally been made for Happisburgh Low Lighthouse before being reused here. Sir James Douglass led the construction, completing the tower in 1890 after three years of work. A temporary light had shone from the cliffs since 1889 while the new tower rose. The lighthouse was first lit by an oil burner that showed a group occulting light every twenty seconds. The light has changed many times since it began. A fire destroyed the first oil burner only six days after commissioning, blamed on inexperienced keepers. Later, oil and then petroleum burners replaced it, and in 1938 the tower became fully automated and electrified. Trinity House considered closing the lighthouse in 2005 because ships relied more on satellite navigation. It was saved in 2009 when Trinity House decided such systems were not yet reliable enough. In 2012 the main lamp was upgraded to a 150-watt metal halide light with a range of 24 nautical miles to replace Orfordness Lighthouse after its closure. Visitors climb 113 steps around a spiral staircase to reach the lantern room. Two former keeper’s cottages stand beside the tower, now used for guided tours organised by Adnams brewery. The lighthouse is a Grade II listed building and has appeared in television and films. A pale ale from Adnams is named after the tower, and charity abseils have been held here to raise money for the Southwold lifeboat. From the top, views stretch along the North Sea coast and over the town’s red roofs and harbour.