Happisburgh Lighthouse

Happisburgh Lighthouse
Hasborough
Grade II listed building
Light
Focal height	41 metres (135 ft)
Lens	1st order catadioptric fixed lens
Light source	Mains power
Range	14 nautical miles (26 km; 16 mi)
Characteristic	Fl (3) W 30s

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Happisburgh Lighthouse in Happisburgh on the North Norfolk coast is the only independently operated lighthouse in Great Britain. It is also the oldest working lighthouse in East Anglia.

History

The building was constructed in 1790 as one of a pair of lights ("High Lighthouse" and "Low Lighthouse")

catadioptric lens designed by Chance Brothers of Smethwick

.

In 1871 Happisburgh's lighthouses were used for a series of trials comparing a Douglass 4-wick oil light (displayed from the low lighthouse) with a Wigham 108-jet gas light (displayed from the high lighthouse) both using the same optics;

South Foreland

.

In order to provide a supply of

gas works was established alongside the high lighthouse; the gas was manufactured using cannel coal and stored in a pair of gas holders situated behind the lighthouse.^[4]

In 1872, the trial having concluded, it was decided to retain gas as the illuminant for the high lighthouse. Beyond Happisburgh, however, Trinity House did not adopt gas as an illuminant for its lighthouses.

The low light was decommissioned and demolished in 1884 before it could be lost due to

occulting mechanism to differentiate the light itself.^[4]

The light source was changed to paraffin in 1904, and then to an unwatched acetylene system in 1929; this meant that there was no further need for keepers to be permanently accommodated on site, and the keepers' cottages were then sold.^[4] In 1947 the light was electrified and given a new group flashing characteristic: three flashes every 30 seconds.^[4]

The tower is 85 ft (25.9 m) tall, putting the lantern at 134 ft (40.8 m) above sea level.^[6] The lighthouse is painted white with three red bands and has a light characteristic of Fl(3)30s (three white flashes, repeated every 30 seconds) at a height of 135 ft (41.1 m) with a range of 14 miles (22.5 km).^[7] It continues to use the optic installed in 1868.

The other lighthouse - the "low light" - was 20 ft (6.1 m) lower. Together they formed a pair of

range lights that marked a safe passage around the southern end of the offshore Haisborough Sands 8 miles (12.9 km) to a stretch of safe waters known as 'The Would'.^[8]

Independence

In 1987 Happisburgh was one of five lighthouses declared redundant by Trinity House and deactivation was planned for June 1988. Villagers organised a petition to oppose the closure, and as a result the date was postponed. Under the Merchant Shipping Act of 1894,^[9] Trinity House may dispose of a working lighthouse only to an established Lighthouse Authority. On 25 April 1990 the Happisburgh Lighthouse Act^[10] received the Royal Assent establishing the Happisburgh Lighthouse Trust as a Local Lighthouse Authority, and Happisburgh became the only independently run operational lighthouse in Great Britain.

In June 2018, the lighthouse was repainted. At a cost of £20,000, the work took two weeks by a specialist team of four painters. The 300 litres of specially mixed masonry paints used was donated by a paint company. Friends of Happisburgh Lighthouse, said: “The re-paint demonstrates our continuing commitment to maintaining Happisburgh lighthouse for future generations.”^[11]

Due to COVID-19, the Lighthouse did not open to visitors in 2020.

In popular culture

In 1990, the lighthouse featured in an episode of the BBC TV programme Challenge Anneka. The lighthouse was repainted inside and out in 33 hours on 30–31 August 1990, with the programme airing on 15 December 1990.^{[citation needed]}
The lighthouse was used as the location for the video of Ellie Goulding's 2010 song "The Writer".^[12]
It features prominently in the 2015
AfterDeath, its beam causing terrifying flashbacks.^{[citation needed}
]