Happisburgh Low Lighthouse

Two lighthouses came into operation on 1st January 1791 – the High Lighthouse (current tower) and Low Lighthouse. Both worked as leading lights guiding ships clear of the dangerous Haisborough Sands offshore.
(See Happisburgh (Hasborough) (High) https://new.opengreenmap.org/browse/sites/62ae064219cfcc010073f53b )

New lanterns, manufactured by Simpson and Co, London were fitted to both lighthouses in readiness for receiving the Chance optics.

Gas experiments were undertaken from 1872, comparing the effectiveness of coal gas in the High Light, with the oil lamp still in use in the Low Light.

The Low Lighthouse was decommissioned in 1884, and its optic was later installed at Southwold Lighthouse when that light was established in 1890. The abandoned Low Light was demolished around 1886. In the 1950s the foundations of the Low Light fell onto the beach, and some remains are still visible occasionally.

Following the decommissioning of Orfordness Lighthouse, in Suffolk in 2013, it became necessary to increase the range at Southwold Lighthouse – and a new revolving LED light was installed. The former Happisburgh Low Light optic has now been split into three sections: i) the central drum section and lower prismatic belts are still in situ at Southwold and form part of the emergency lighting; ii) the top beehive section has been removed, half is on display on the ground floor at Southwold Lighthouse; iii) the other half of the beehive was repatriated to Happisburgh in 2014 and is now on display on the ground floor of Happisburgh Lighthouse.

See http://happisburgh.org.uk/lighthouse/history/ for more historical information.

A new guidebook is available shortly.