Dungeness Old Lighthouse

Opened with great ceremony by His Royal Majesty the Prince of Wales in 1904 after a 3 year build, it survived two world wars before decommission in 1960. For 56 years it provided a welcome landlight to vessels negotiating the perils of the English Channel. The Lighthouse features in Nickolaus Pevsner's "Buildings of Kent".

The fourth ('Old') Lighthouse. In 1901 building of the fourth Old lighthouse, known at the time as the High Light Tower, started. It had originally been intended to build it nearer the edge of the point, but there were problems with the foundations so it ended up being erected just 40 yards away from its predecessor. Opened by the Prince of Wales, it was first lit on 31 March 1904. The new tower was equipped with a revolving catadioptric optic which produced a flash every ten seconds. In addition it displayed red and green sector lights, from windows lower in the tower, indicating hazards and safe water both to the north-east and the south-west. Lit by incandescent mineral oil, it was claimed to be the second most powerful light on the English Channel (after Cap Gris-Nez); the main light had a range of 17.5 nmi (32.4 km; 20.1 mi), and the subsidiary light a range of up to 13 nmi (24 km; 15 mi). In 1920 it was the first Trinity House lighthouse to be equipped with a Paraffin Vapour Burner; PVBs would subsequently be installed in many of the Corporation's lighthouses.

During the late 1950's work began on the Dungeness Power Station and it became apparent that, due to the height of the new building, the light would be obscured from the sea. Subsequently a fifth and automatic lighthouse was built closer to the waters edge where it operates from today. Thus, the fourth lighthouse, now known as the Old Lighthouse, was decommissioned in 1960 and became a tourist attraction and museum.

The tower still stands today; it is no longer in use as a lighthouse but is open as a visitor attraction. It is a circular brick structure, 41 m (135 ft) high and 11 m (36 ft) in diameter at ground level. It has 169 steps, and gives visitors a good view of the shingle beach. The main PVB lamp, the Fresnel lenses and the clockwork motor which turned the optic are all still in situ in the tower. It is a Grade II listed building.