Happisburgh Lighthouse 2019
For 6 Sundays during the summer period, Happisburgh Lighthouse opens up to the public. Built in 1791, it is the longest running lighthouse in East Anglia and the UK’s only independently run. The is due to the local community saving it from being decommissioned by Trinity House of London.
Standing at 85 feet tall, the lighthouse has featured on several TV programmes and also appeared in Ellie Gouldings, ‘The Writer’ music video. It also recently had a fresh lick of paint, requiring 300 litres to cover the exterior.
The lighthouse was originally built as a leading light, which meant that the light was on constantly and didn’t flash. However when the second lighthouse eventually succumbed to coastal erosion in 1883, the current one was painted with it’s distinguishing red stripes.
Upon climbing the 96 steps to the service room and eventually to the top, a beehive looking arrangement of glass encapsulate a somewhat modest 500 watt bulb. However due to these unique glass lenses, the light is focused to create an intensity of 58, 500 candles, with a sequence of 3 white flashes every 30 seconds.
