Dungeness Old Lighthouse

Dungeness Old Lighthouse stands on the Dungeness headland in Kent, within the Folkestone and Hythe district on England's south-east coast. The early twentieth-century brick tower is now a museum and viewing point over a flat shingle landscape and the English Channel.

What is its history?

The present tower was built between 1901 and 1904 and first shone on 31 March 1904. It replaced an earlier lighthouse raised in 1792 by William Coke of Holkham. The upper parts of that older tower were taken down, while its two lowest storeys were converted into homes for the keepers. They survive as a separately protected building, the Dungeness Lighthousemen's Dwellings.

The tower has six storeys, tapers as it rises and stands about 143 feet (around 43 m) tall, clad in glazed brick. It went out of service in the early 1960s, when the nearby nuclear power station began to block its light. A new black lighthouse, completed in 1961, took over next door and is still active.

Is it a listed building?

Yes. The Old Lighthouse is Grade II listed, entered on the National Heritage List for England on 5 August 1992. Do not confuse it with the working Dungeness Lighthouse, which has its own, separate Grade II* listing.

What can you see?

• The tower climb. The gallery at the top looks over the Channel, the headland and the surrounding Romney Marsh. The outer gallery can close in bad weather.
• The Great Lens and the Sector Light. Inside you can see the optical equipment from the old station.
• The headland itself. Dungeness is one of Europe's largest shingle foreland, a stark landscape of fishermen's huts with the power station on the skyline.

How do you get there?

The lighthouse sits at the tip of the headland, near Lydd and Romney Marsh. A large car park next to it is free to use. The Dungeness terminus of the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway is right beside it, with trains running from Hythe and New Romney.

When should you go?

Choose a clear day, when the gallery is open and visibility gives you a chance of spotting the French coast. Opening days and ticket prices vary by season, so check the attraction's own website before you set out.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Old Lighthouse still in use? No. Its light ended in the early 1960s. It now operates as a museum, while the newer 1961 tower guides shipping.

How is it different from the black lighthouse? The black lighthouse is the active one, built in 1961 and standing close by. The Old Lighthouse is the earlier, lighter-coloured tower from 1904 and is open to visitors.

Can you climb to the top? Yes. Visitors can go up the tower for views of the headland and the Channel. In poor weather the outer gallery is closed.

Is there parking? Yes, there is free parking beside the lighthouse.