Northfleet Lower Lighthouse

Heritage listing

Details 742/0/10012 THE SHORE 01-NOV-06 NORTHFLEET LOWER LIGHTHOUSE GV II Lighthouse. 1883. Riveted wrought-iron frame, painted red. Northfleet Lower Lighthouse is a slender, tapering round tower in six stages: the top four are divided by metal platforms, the bottom two by a horizontal band running inside the uprights. The structure stands about 16 metres high. It is supported on four uprights with diagonal cross struts between uprights and horizontals. Stages two and three have a half screen of closely placed uprights on the down river side. Access is by internal ladder rising through the platforms of each stage. The top platform is wider, surrounded by a balcony, and carries a centrally placed octagonal hut made of metal sheets, with windows facing seaward. The hut is capped by a pitched roof topped by a ball finial and arrow weather vane. It housed a white occulting light of ten seconds visible for six miles, later red and white occulting, but is no longer in use. HISTORY: Northfleet Lower Lighthouse was erected by Trinity House in 1883 to replace an earlier light. Originally placed on India Arms Wharf, close to the India Arms Tavern, the purpose of a light in this location was to guide vessels around the bend from Gravesend Reach to Northfleet Hope on their way to the Port of London. Northfleet Lower Lighthouse was moved 282 metres downstream to its present site in 1968 as a result of development of the waterfront. The lighthouse was unmanned, inspected three times fortnightly by a Trinity House attendant. Originally lit by acetylene, it was converted first to town gas in 1975, and subsequently to electricity. In the mid C19 there was some enthusiasm for building cast-iron lighthouses, which were cheaper than masonry towers. Maplin Sands, on the Essex coast, was the

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.