Lighthouses · East of England
Old Hunstanton Lighthouse
In or near Snettisham.
Old Hunstanton Lighthouse — lighthouse in Hunstanton, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Norfolk, England, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 30 min–1 h
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Old Hunstanton Lighthouse, you can use the postcode PE36 6EL for sat-nav directions. Entry is free.
About
Old Hunstanton Lighthouse is a working or historic lighthouse on the United Kingdom coast. Records date its origin to 1840. Constructed primarily of brick. Heritage designation: Grade II listed building. Managed by Trinity House. Wikidata describes it as: "lighthouse in Hunstanton, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Norfolk, England, UK". Coordinates: 52.9496°, 0.4936°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Old Hunstanton Lighthouse is a former lighthouse located in Old Hunstanton in the English county of Norfolk, generally called Hunstanton Lighthouse during its operational life. It was built at the highest point available on this part of the coast, on top of Hunstanton Cliffs, and served to help guide vessels into the safe water of Lynn Deeps. Although the present lighthouse was built in 1840, there had been a lighthouse on the site since the 17th century (prior to which a light to aid navigation may have been displayed from St Edmund's Chapel, the ruins of which stand nearby).
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Summary from the official site
Old Hunstanton Lighthouse is a historical site featuring the ruins of St Edmund's Chapel, which dates back to the medieval period. The site also includes a World War One memorial garden, showcasing the area's rich history and archaeological significance.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Hunstanton Cliffs SSSI
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: The Wash SSSI
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Norfolk Coast
- Ramsar wetland: The Wash
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Old Hunstanton Lighthouse is a former lighthouse located in Old Hunstanton in the English county of Norfolk, generally called Hunstanton Lighthouse during its operational life. It was built at the highest point available on this part of the coast, on top of Hunstanton Cliffs, and served to help guide vessels into the safe water of Lynn Deeps. Although the present lighthouse was built in 1840, there had been a lighthouse on the site since the 17th century (prior to which a light to aid navigation may have been displayed from St Edmund's Chapel, the ruins of which stand nearby). Prior to the establishment of the Lynn Well light vessel in 1828, Hunstanton Lighthouse provided the only visible guide to ships seeking to enter The Wash at night.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
Before the establishment of a lighthouse in the vicinity, it appears that sailors used the lights burning in St Edmund's Chapel to guide them into The Wash by night. and in 1838 their successor was still referred to, by John Purdy, as 'the Chapel Light, on Hunstanton Point'.
Description
In 1663 permission was sought by a consortium of the merchants and ship-owners of Boston and Lynn to erect one or more lights near St Edmund's Point, to help guide their vessels into The Wash. That November, a warrant was issued by Charles II to John Knight, permitting him to build a light or lights 'upon the Hunston-cliffe or chappel lands', and to maintain them by levying dues on passing ships. That same year Knight's niece Rebecca and her husband James Everard were granted the right to receive the light dues for the period of the next fifty years. It seems that the structure remained standing for a time: but while two lighthouses are shown on John Cary's county map of 1787, there is only…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 52.9496, 0.4936
- County
- Norfolk
- District
- King's Lynn and West Norfolk
- Parish
- Hunstanton
- Postcode
- PE36 6EL
- Parliamentary constituency
- North West Norfolk
- Established
- 1840
- Official site
- www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q7084254 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Old Hunstanton Lighthouse (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Hunstanton lighthouse - geograph.org.uk - 837014.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Old Hunstanton Lighthouse?
- Old Hunstanton Lighthouse is in Norfolk, the East Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode PE36 6EL), in the parish of Hunstanton.
- What is Old Hunstanton Lighthouse?
- Old Hunstanton Lighthouse — lighthouse in Hunstanton, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Norfolk, England, UK.
- How do I get to Old Hunstanton Lighthouse?
- Drivers can use postcode PE36 6EL.
- When was Old Hunstanton Lighthouse built?
- Built or established in 1840.
- Who runs Old Hunstanton Lighthouse?
- Old Hunstanton Lighthouse is operated by Trinity House.
- Is Old Hunstanton Lighthouse a listed building?
- Old Hunstanton Lighthouse is officially recognised as Grade II listed building listed.
- Is Old Hunstanton Lighthouse a protected site?
- Yes — Old Hunstanton Lighthouse is part of the Hunstanton Cliffs SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the The Wash SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Is Old Hunstanton Lighthouse free to visit?
- Yes, Old Hunstanton Lighthouse is free to enter.