The Old Lighthouse, Dungeness
We'd gotten off at Dungeness when we visited the RHDR's Bus Rally for the first time in a long time.
We'd originally planned to walk the eerie land and its trails for a little while and get the train back, but we were on a time limit that day due to time sensitive issues and so we had only an hour in which to fill our time before we took the next train back to Hythe.
There are currently two lighthouses in Dungeness, the 'old' one and the 'new one'. There is a striking difference between the two other than one has been retired, one is black and the other is stripy. But us, sort of locals, have always referred to them as old and new. We digress however, we had just walked from the busy station and ended up in the entrance of the Old Lighthouse. Of course there was no way we were getting Yogi inside, but we were originally going to ask for their opening times so we could come back another day. In the end however, we decided to take turns going up, even if this was the challenge of the week for Ren as she isn't very good with heights.
The Old Lighthouse, bathed in black with its white top which holds the lamp, is actually the fourth Dungeness Lighthouse.
Around 410 years ago, in 1615, ships sailing near Dungeness were crashing at an alarming rate. The shingle shore became hazardous to those entering the English Channel and one winter alone claimed the lives of over 1,000 sailors. The 16th century brought the start of the Age of Sail (16th-19th centuries) and due to this a warning signal needed to be developed before the treacherous shingle ridges of Dungeness claimed more lives. So the first light house was built. It was made of wood, 35 feet high, and simply had an open fire at the top in order to act as the light. It was under King James's private ownership (King James I of England and VI of Scotland) and marked the start of organised safeguarding of ships seeking English land.
Not 20 years later the lighthouse needed modernisation. Switching from wood to brick and increasing the height to 110 feet, the second lighthouse offered a better chance at survival due to increased visibility, however this wasnt enough as the shingle banks grew too and soon rendered the light invisible to the sailors seeking its warning. It couldn't have been such a dire situation for long however as the second lighthouse lasted at least 155 years!
In 1790 the third lighthouse replaced its predecessor after much complaint and this brought further modern trimmings as Trinity House commissioned it. Built in the likeness of Eddystone Lighthouse, the Dungeness lighthouse was powered by oil lamps that were amplified with concave silvered reflectors. This was replaced in 1862 by electric, but the move into the modern world was reverted back quite quickly due to the reliability of such a power source in the area. However, the oil lamps were further enhanced by precision cut glass prisms that helped shine the warning out to sea, and a smaller lighthouse with a foghorn was placed closer to the shore.
However, 39 years later in 1901, the modern outfits had again been rendered too outdated for use, and a fourth lighthouse was commissioned. Built by Patrick & Co of London, the lighthouse stood 150 feet high and its beam reached up to 18 miles with 10 second intervals. This is the one that stands just off of the station today. It remained in use until 1960 and was only retired due to the construction of the PowerStation in the 50s. It was found that the new construction blocked the light from the south and so it was decommissioned in favour of the 5th lighthouse which was built closer to the shoreline and was automatic needing no keepers to live onsite.
We assume that decommissioning a lighthouse involves a new coat of paint as it must have been then that the once striped structure was painted black, likely to avoid confusion with the other lighthouse. The Old Lighthouse now stands proudly in its historic site as an ode to its long history. It's a tall narrow museum for its own history and also a beautiful viewpoint for the landscape. This is a site not to be missed and with its 196 or so stairs, a tiring one. Not for the faint of heart so be warned!
Jay went first and was the one out of the two of us to brave going through the tiny opening and out onto the balcony. He peered over to see the drop below and surprisingly enjoyed the view. Ren on the other hand decided not to venture out at the top and instead stayed inside admiring the view from the point of the beam. It was stunning and the history within is truly one not to be missed, that is if you have the stomach for it!
There are tons of stories of the ghostly lighthouses either luring people to their deaths or saving them from them. Ghostly lighthouse keepers, unfortunate sailors who scale the shores from their ship wrecks. But its old wives tales as there isn't really any reported ghosties, just stories to keep us entertained as children. It is a very haunting sight in the fog though, Dungeness as a whole is quite eerie in the fog with its barren land and distant surroundings.
The gift shop at the base of the lighthouse is a little short on memorabilia and keepsakes, however at a fiver a ticket, its worth the punt, especially as its a tale for the grandkids. Who knows how much longer these lighthouses will be around?
This site is a poetic one and a writers dream as it inspires the imagination to run wild. Not to be missed, why not combine it with a trip to the RHDR!
DISCLAIMER: Now for the official bit. This blog does not receive any paid promotions from the places mentioned above. We have not been approached to promote or act as spokespersons for any attraction mentioned within this post and this is simply a post intended to act as a day in the life of a couple on a cute date. All photos included are taken by ourselves and as such the rights for these images our ours, no links, brands, or companies mentioned otherwise belong or are associated with Phantom Adventures UK. We are responsible only for this blog. Opinions are our own and not influenced by any third party source..
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