Harwich Low Lighthouse

Heritage listing

Details The monument includes a brick built lighthouse situated on the eastern (seaward) shore of the Harwich peninsula, at the northern end of the Esplanade and the south east corner of Harwich Green. The Low Lighthouse, a Grade II Listed Building, was constructed in 1818 as one of a pair providing leading lights for the safe approach to Harwich Harbour. The second lighthouse (termed the High Lighthouse as its lamp room was raised to be visible above the roof of the low light) stands approximately 200m to the north west (landward) and is the subject of a separate scheduling. The central tower of the Low Lighthouse is constructed in yellow stock brick (painted white) to a tapering decagonal design. It rises to approximately 13.5m and contains three floors and a cellar. Internal stairways (replaced in the 1970s) link the rooms and lead to the lamp chamber at the top, which is covered by a stone `tent' roof with lotus finial and the vent shaft for the original oil lamp (long since removed). The lamp room windows, which take up most of the south western elevation at this level, are also modern replacements, designed for clear views across the harbour mouth. A modern timber balcony with tubular metal handrail surrounds the lamp room and a scaling ladder leads to the roof to allow exterior maintenance. The balcony is accessible through a door in the north west wall of the lamp room which, judged by the prominent hood mould above, may be an enlargement of an original window facing the High Lighthouse, perhaps to provide a single light keeper with assurance of a functioning lower lamp. The lower rooms have simple square windows set on the sight line between the two lighthouses, again with prominent stone surrounds. The entrance is to the landward side on the ground floor. The

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.