A Legacy of Light: The History of The Old Lighthouse, Dungeness Over 400 Years of Guiding Mariners
The history of The Old Lighthouse is part of a remarkable maritime legacy that stretches back more than 400 years. Dungeness, with its vast cuspate shingle ridges formed by longshore drift, gradually grew into a prominent and hazardous outcrop reaching into the English Channel. As maritime traffic surged in the 16th century, the need for a warning beacon at this treacherous point became critical. One winter gale alone is said to have claimed the lives of over 1,000 sailors.
The First Lighthouse: 1615 Where the guiding light began.
The first recorded lighthouse at Dungeness was built in 1615—a simple wooden structure, roughly 35 feet high, topped with an open coal fire. This rudimentary beacon was licensed to private ownership by King James I of England (James VI of Scotland). It marked the beginning of organised efforts to protect ships from the shifting, perilous coastline.
Brick Lighthouses and Shifting Shores Structures shaped by sea and time.
By around 1635, a second lighthouse—this time constructed from brick—replaced the original. At 110 feet tall, it offered improved visibility, but the ever-growing shingle banks gradually rendered its light ineffective. In response to increasing complaints from mariners, Trinity House commissioned a third lighthouse in 1790. Designed in the likeness of the famous Eddystone Lighthouse, it was powered by oil lamps and amplified with concave silvered reflectors.
By 1836, Trinity House had acquired all lighthouse leases and, in a pioneering move, introduced commercial electricity to Dungeness in 1862. However, due to the unreliability and cost of early electrical systems, the light reverted to oil, now enhanced by precision-cut glass prisms. As the shingle banks grew further, a smaller low-level lighthouse with a foghorn was added near the water’s edge.
The Fourth Lighthouse: A New Era Rising strong in changing tides.
In 1901, Trinity House commissioned Patrick & Co of London to build a new, taller lighthouse—our iconic black-and-white striped tower known today as The Old Lighthouse. Standing approximately 150 feet high, it was officially opened in 1904 by His Majesty, The Prince of Wales (later King George V). Its powerful beam, flashing every 10 seconds, could be seen from up to 18 miles away.
