Lighthouses · South East England
Dungeness Lighthouse
In or near Lydd-on-Sea.
Dungeness Lighthouse — lighthouse built 1961.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 30 min–1 h
- Nearest railway station
- Dungeness · 0.4 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Dungeness Lighthouse, the nearest railway station is Dungeness, located 0.4 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is TN29 9ND, and entry to the lighthouse is free.
About
Dungeness Lighthouse is a working or historic lighthouse on the United Kingdom coast. Records date its origin to 1961. Constructed primarily of concrete. Heritage designation: Grade II* listed building. Managed by Trinity House. Wikidata describes it as: "lighthouse built 1961". Coordinates: 50.9135°, 0.9760°.
Photo gallery
360° viewimagery from 2025
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Heritage listing
Dungeness Lighthouse on the Dungeness Headland started operation on 20 November 1961. Its construction was prompted by the building of Dungeness nuclear power station, which obscured the light of its predecessor (dating from 1904) which, though decommissioned, remains standing. The new lighthouse (the fifth on the site) is constructed of precast concrete rings; its pattern of black and white bands is impregnated into the concrete.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Summary from the official site
Dungeness Lighthouse is part of the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, offering visitors a scenic steam train ride along the Kent coast. The area features various stations and attractions, including special events like wine tastings.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Dungeness, Romney Marsh and Rye Bay SSSI
- National Nature Reserve: DUNGENESS
- Ramsar wetland: Dungeness, Romney Marsh and Rye Bay
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Dungeness Lighthouse on the Dungeness Headland started operation on 20 November 1961. Its construction was prompted by the building of Dungeness nuclear power station, which obscured the light of its predecessor (dating from 1904) which, though decommissioned, remains standing. The new lighthouse (the fifth on the site) is constructed of precast concrete rings; its pattern of black and white bands is impregnated into the concrete. It remains in use today, monitored and controlled from the Trinity House Operations and Planning Centre at Harwich, Essex.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
In all there have been eight lighthouses at Dungeness: five main (or 'high') lights (of which the fifth is still fully operational today), and three subsidiary (or 'low') lights. The addition of a subsidiary light became necessary owing to the constant accretion of shingle on the east side of the spit (an ongoing problem on this cuspate foreland), which gradually leaves each lighthouse at an ever-increasing distance from the sea on that side. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries Dungeness was used as an experimental station by Trinity House; in the 1860s it was the first of their lighthouses to be equipped with a fog horn and the first to be given a permanent (if short-lived) electric…
Description
At first only a beacon was used to warn sailors, but this was replaced by a proper lighthouse in 1615. As the sea retreated, this had to be replaced in 1635 by a new lighthouse nearer to the water's edge known as Lamplough's Tower.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 50.9135, 0.9760
- County
- Kent
- District
- Folkestone and Hythe
- Parish
- Lydd
- Postcode
- TN29 9ND
- Parliamentary constituency
- Folkestone and Hythe
- Phone
- +44 01797 362 353
- Established
- 1961
- Nearest railway station
- Dungeness — 0.4 km
- Official site
- www.rhdr.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q3739774 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Dungeness Lighthouse (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Dungeness Lighthouse.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Dungeness railway station
Heritage railway stations · 0.4 km
Dungeness Old Lighthouse
Lighthouses · 0.4 km
Southernmost Point of Kent
Viewpoints · 0.7 km
RSPB Dungeness
Wildlife reserves · 0.7 km
Dungeness
Other places · 0.7 km
No 1 Battery (Gun emplacement)
Archaeological sites · 1.8 km
Denge Beach
Beaches · 2.1 km
Denge Beach
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Makepeace Hide
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Firth Hide
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Dungeness National
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Dennis's Hide
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Dungeness Lighthouse?
- Dungeness Lighthouse is in Kent, South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode TN29 9ND), in the parish of Lydd.
- What is Dungeness Lighthouse?
- Dungeness Lighthouse — lighthouse built 1961.
- How do I get to Dungeness Lighthouse?
- The nearest railway station is Dungeness, about 0.4 km away. Drivers can use postcode TN29 9ND.
- When was Dungeness Lighthouse built?
- Built or established in 1961.
- Who runs Dungeness Lighthouse?
- Dungeness Lighthouse is operated by Trinity House.
- Is Dungeness Lighthouse a listed building?
- Dungeness Lighthouse is officially recognised as Grade II* listed building listed.
- Is Dungeness Lighthouse a protected site?
- Yes — Dungeness Lighthouse is part of the Dungeness, Romney Marsh and Rye Bay SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the DUNGENESS National Nature Reserve.
- Is Dungeness Lighthouse free to visit?
- Yes, Dungeness Lighthouse is free to enter.