Lighthouses of England, Orfordness Lighthouse, Suffolk 1993

This was a visit to Orfordness Lighthouse in 1993. This is on a very isolated shingle spit that used to be M.O.D. property. A great deal of very secret work went on there including Nuclear bomb trigger devises to over the horizon radar experiments and lots more besides.The Lighthouse has been automated since 1965. The Ness is now owned by the National Trust who allow limited access. The Lighthouse is owned by the Orfordness Lighthouse trust who also do limited access but..the Lighthouse is in imminent danger of being taken by the sea because of the coastal erosion
so if you want to visit, do it ASAP. for the lighthouse visit try www.orfordnessl... for the Ness visit try..www.nationaltr...

[@Interestingness101]

Thank you for sharing this with us. Such a sad demise for the Orfordness lighthouse, left to be swallowed up by the very sea it was designed and built to protect Mariners and shipping from. During its time in service I bet it has undoubtedly saved thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of lives. R.I.P. Orfordness lighthouse!

[@PeterHalil]

Yes sad I think they will remove as much as they can to try and save something.

[@TheKilroyman]

Sadly this lighthouse is literally hanging on by its toenails now. Orfordness has been eroding away since the 1800s, and the rarely talked about Low Light fell into the sea shortly before the turn of the century. Some of the reasons it can't be moved is due to the strange way it's foundation was built, which includes a very deep basement that would leave a gaping hole in the ground that would be difficult to cover up again. Plus all the unexploded ordnance that is lying around. If it wasn't for these factors, the lighthouse would have been moved to more stable ground already.

[@PeterHalil]

Yes, that and the surrounding land is all owned by the National Trust.

[@TheKilroyman]

@@PeterHalil Welp, I just I got some news from a friend of mine. They're going to topple the Orfordness Tower manually before the unstable cliff gives way underneath.

[@PeterHalil]

@@TheKilroyman Yes I got similar news, lets hope that they can at least save the top lantern bit for posterity.

[@TheKilroyman]

@@PeterHalil Yes, they must at least save the lantern room!

[@TheKilroyman]

@@PeterHalil I just got a notification from my friend, the Lantern Room will be removed before the tower is toppled.

[@AdrianWilsonBridders1234]

As of July 2020 this iconic lighthouse is being dismantled, the lantern is being removed, very sad to see

[@PeterHalil]

Yes a great shame, I'm glad I saw it whilst it was still magnificent.

[@tagyouritification]

What ashame the National Trust doesn't see the value with saving a National Landmark. How simple it would be to install a seawall but then I'm sure their looking at the annual upkeep and they wouldn't want to pay for that. Thanks for documenting a lighthouse that sadly will eventually disappear after over 200 years service and saving untold lives, she deserves better in my book.

[@PeterHalil]

She deserves better in my book too but I think it will take a Miracle to get the National Trust to do the right thing, take care.

[@SIONARAFLORIDA]

A fund could be started to raise the money it would cost to move the lighthouse. I know here, for example, in the U.S. i watched a documentary about a Massachusetts or a Maine tower being moved inland away from an eroding cliff and they jacked it up braced it and the metal spiral staircase, and slid it on rails at like three feet an hour to another foundation. Why couldnt the same be done for this treasure?

[@PeterHalil]

@@SIONARAFLORIDA Yes they also did similar with Belle Tout lighthouse on the top of Beachy Head cliffs and a crowd funding website might crack it but...the National Trust own all the land surrounding the light and they aren't renowned for giving any of what they have away.

[@tagyouritification]

@@SIONARAFLORIDA I'm Stateside also so I don't actually know just how the National Trust works. I only hear of it being involved with The Royal Family and Castles, although I may have said this incorrectly now I think of it. I might be thinking of The Heritage Trust. Paul, when the Lighthouse is gone what will the National Trust do with vacant property ? Do they just sell it off to fund other areas ? Can the people of England challenge the National Trust on these decisions ? I'm trying to learn the way thing's work in Government there with decisions on landmarks and historic buildings. Definitely not a political question for banter just learning. Maybe I should set up a Lighthouse crawl over there instead of just visiting one area. Your videos have opened up a different side of British History I never thought about.

[@PHAROS23]

@@tagyouritification Hi The national trust will fund the upkeep if they can get a return on their investment - examples Souter Point Lighthouse and South Foreland Lighthouse. English Heritage run on the same principle. The Crown Estates are involved with Royal land and properties.

[@IKS-Exploration]

This is the lighthouse that has controversy about the rendlesham forest UFO incident in 1980

[@PeterHalil]

It is indeed.

[@shirleycole7854]

What was the controversial about this lighthouse

[@PeterHalil]

@@shirleycole7854 At the time it was suggested that the UFO that people said they saw in 1980 could have been the Lighthouse flash? plus there was another theory that a downed UFO was being kept on the military part of orfordness, found the following, www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-33447592

[@Indianbiker]

lighthouses are so beautiful. If give u a vantage point of the city and the landscape.

[@PeterHalil]

Thank you, I think Lighthouses are beautiful too, take care.

[@PeterHalil]

Orfordness Lighthouse is no more, it has been demolished. They have saved the lantern and some internal bits, the lens,curved cupboards etc, in the hope of preserving something. Check this link out for details www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-53735247?at_custom4=6E3CC5BE-DBE5-11EA-8F0C-82974D484DA4&at_custom2=facebook_page&at_campaign=64&at_custom1=link&at_medium=custom7&at_custom3=Regional+BBC+East&fbclid=IwAR0uvFCVi2AuqJQhQ9cGzXcUt_07bs54bQgJhMvJiabvgMzW0ahNallCeBY

[@chriswalford4161]

And there used be a big BBC shortwave transmitter there, too, previously built and operated by Voice of America

[@PeterHalil]

Thanks Chris, that "Ness" had a lot of History cheers. stay safe

[@chriswalford4161]

@@PeterHalil : I visited it back in 2003 or 2004, from the Aldeburgh end. The ground plane mesh for the transmitters was still there over acres of ground, and probably still is

[@PeterHalil]

@@chriswalford4161 I wish to go back to give the place a better look see, but it will be very strange with no Lighthouse.

[@df18001]

The keepers bungalows were lost to the sea in September 2019 following storms which undermined the foundations, and over the following winter the erosion became so bad that temporary defences installed to prolong the life of the tower were insufficient. The tower had to be dismantled in June 2020, however the top third including the lantern room, optics and dome have been preserved with the intention of building a tribute further inland. Charlie Underwood's son and grandson feature in BBC news articles on the last few months of the towers lifetime. Pictures etc available here www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-53263525

[@pairojeans]

Another great video thanks Peter

[@PeterHalil]

Thank you for liking it.

[@shirleycole7854]

Saddens me to know it will be gone.

[@PeterHalil]

Yes, the sea is pretty close to it now.

[@ThatCanadianGuy-e1p]

Ah, the lighthouse that was mistaken for an alien spacecraft. lol

[@PeterHalil]

So one of the stories goes, so if it happens again, they can't blame the Lighthouse lol. Cheers and stay safe.

[@nickgreaves3355]

Hi Pete, During your career as a lighthouse keeper did you ever feel or see anything that made you feel uneasy about the lighthouse you were stationed in at the time? Were the lighthouses that keepers would prefer not to be stationed at given a preference? Kind Regards Nick

[@PeterHalil]

Some keepers didn't like certain lights out to sea because of getting off on time because of bad weather. There are some towers that supposed to have ghosts but I personally only got apprehensive on the Longstone with Grace Darlings ghost but she (if it was her) never appeared only shut or opened doors and turned lights on and off in a certain room. So once you got used to the fact that nothing bad was happening it got easier.

[@SIONARAFLORIDA]

Hello Peter. Is this the light on the beginning of the videos 'Our Lighthouse Heritage' production? The Ness. Sure looks like her.

[@PeterHalil]

No it is the last lighthouse I served on before my redundancy...The Lizard Lighthouse in Cornwall.

[@hellooldchap]

With Eddie Matthews?

[@PeterHalil]

@@hellooldchap I was with Fred Rosewall.

[@sparkydave2783]

Hi Peter. Yet another wonderful tale with accompanying images and video. Thanks for sharing. Out of interest, did Trinity House provide advice and training to lighthouse crews on what to do in the event of nuclear war? Odd question, I know! Furthermore, what would have been the procedure in the event of a serious fire? Especially on the offshore stations? Did you have advanced firefighter training and breathing apparatus, for example. Perhaps you could compile a video on such topics?

[@PeterHalil]

Hi, no we didn't have any advise on Nuclear warfare. In the event of fires we had an ELSA (Escape Life Support Apparatus) each in the bedroom which is to allow us to breathe for a short while to make our escape from a smoke filled tower. We have a liferaft and a Davies escape system that is basically a pulley system that gets you down from a tower on the outside and no firefighting training.

[@PHAROS23]

@@PeterHalil Hi Pete. Thanks again for another excellent video. Can I add some more info re Sparky Dave's query - was I unlucky perhaps. I had my first fire fighting training at Blackwall 1973, the next was on the sea survival course at Greenhithe , BA and recovering a casualty from a smoke filled room ( I think Robby may have been on that one) the next couple at Lowestoft on the helo survival courses and I did helo fire fighting at HMS Osprey. All lighthouses had automatic Halon 1305 systems. The PKs secret papers.

[@PeterHalil]

@@PHAROS23 Grief yes my memory is lacking, I went to the survival course in lowestoft and also did basic fire fighting, cheers

[@PHAROS23]

@@PeterHalil It's an age thing Pete lol. I must say though your video's are bringing back memories of the good days we had ,thank you

[@PeterHalil]

@@PHAROS23 Thanks, it's doing the same for me too. Whenever you feel like commenting on here to questions please do as I'm definitely trawling the depths of my memory a lot of the time.cheers.

[@KANEMUSIX]

Does anyone know where I can find a video her on the last few hours of operation before being shut down

[@jackharrison6771]

Hi Peter. Thanks again for another very interesting video. I was wondering- is there a website or some way I can contact you; I have a couple of questions and a project that I would appreciate your help with. Jack.

[@PeterHalil]

Hi I'm on Facebook, or there is another site which is lots of ex Keepers and friends called The Association of Lighthouse Keepers (ALK) alk.org.uk/ they have a wealth of Knowledge of British Lighthouses. Hope that helps. cheers

[@jackharrison6771]

@@PeterHalil OK thanks Peter, and yes I'm a member of ALK.

[@mattmatty4670]

Cool thanks mate

[@PeterHalil]

Cheers Mate

[@ollyk22]

Regarding the sector lights, I am amazed they are effective where they are placed! Where the windows always designed for lights? Also, the optics that don't seem to line up with the windows, what's that all about?

[@PeterHalil]

Hi, thanks for that , and having rewatched the video, I can see what you mean. It does look like an awkward angle, but you would have to get a Trinity House Engineer to answer correctly, sorry. Cheers and stay safe.

[@ollyk22]

@@PeterHalil Ok thanks Pete. It's a shame to see that this lighthouse was demolished. I don't agree with the NT, especially given how old and long in service this lighthouse has remained! What a shame!

[@PeterHalil]

@@ollyk22 I couldn't see why the lighthouse moving back option wasn't pursued more, but the National Trust have never been my flavour of the Month, but that may just be my biased opinion.