U.S. Society ~ of the United Kingdom

Beachy Head Lighthouse

(Close to , )

A NON-PROFIT HISTORICAL & EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY U.S. Lighthouse Society ~ Lighthouses of the United Kingdom

History

It is said that as early as 1670 a light shone to guide passing vessels from the top of the cliffs at , the 90 metres high seaward termination of the Sussex Downs.

In 1828 James Walker erected Belle Toute Lighthouse, a 14 meter high circular tower, on the headland. This remained in operation till 1899 when it was abandoned due to being frequently shrouded in mist and threatened with collapse because of recurrent falls of chalk from the cliff.

In 1902 under the direction of Sir Thomas Matthews, the Engineer‐in‐Chief, the present lighthouse was brought into service, sited about 165 metres seawards from the base of the cliffs. It took two years to complete and involved building a coffer‐dam and a cableway from the top of the cliffs to carry materials down to the site. 3,660 tons of Cornish granite were used in the construction of the tower.

Beachy Head lighthouse was automated and demanned in June 1983. It is monitored 24 hours a day from the Trinity House Operations & Planning Centre at in Essex.

Specifications

Established 1828

Height Of Tower 43 Metres

Height Of Light Above Mean High Water 31 Metres

Automated 1983

Electrified 1920

Optic First Order 920 Mm Asymmetrical Catadioptric

Lamp 1 x single tier LED Lantern

Character 2 White Flashes Every 20 Seconds

A NON-PROFIT HISTORICAL & EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY U.S. Lighthouse Society ~ Lighthouses of the United Kingdom

Intensity Candela

Range Of Light 8 nautical miles

A NON-PROFIT HISTORICAL & EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY