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South Foreland Lighthouse, Kent

The South Foreland Lighthouse near Dover is an attractive Victorian building, which ended its life as a working facility in 1990. It is visible evidence of the hidden dangers of this lovely coastline. A few miles along the coast at Dover Castle you will see the remains of a Roman lighthouse, illustrating the long struggle with this perilous area of the English Channel.

Visiting the South Foreland Lighthouse I was struck by the incongruity of the lighthouse sitting on what many tourist signs termed "Frontline Britain." In the Second World War this coastline was the front line, less than thirty miles from occupied France. In many ways the white cliffs of southern England define the country, and Frontline Britain recalls a time when this coastline was a closed frontier. But a lighthouse has a different mission. A lighthouse is about communication, warning sailors in the night that danger is nearby. The South Foreland Lighthouse has a particular association with communication, since it was used by Marconi to experiment with radio messages. The world's first ship to shore radio transmission took place on Christmas Eve 1898, when the South Foreland received a message from the East Goodwin lightship. In 1899 the lighthouse exchanged the first international radio messages with Wimereux near Boulogne in France.

View over the English Channel from South Foreland Lighthouse

Frontline Britain stands in contrast to such communication, as illustrated by the fact that the lighthouse was shut down in the Second World War. A display at the lighthouse tells of how the only time it was used during the war was in 1942 when the German battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau made a run up the English Channel under the cover of bad weather. British aircraft were sent to intercept, and the lighthouse was used to try and guide the aircraft home.

The lighthouse is owned by the National Trust, and visits are by guided tour, which run all throughout opening hours. Displays illustrate the history of the lighthouse. There are beautiful views over the English Channel from the top.

Opening Times: vary according to season but opening hours are always 11am to 5:30pm. Last tour 5pm. From 14th March 2008 to 3rd April Friday to Monday , from 4th to 24th April daily, from 25th April to 22nd May Friday to Monday, from 23rd May to 5th June daily, from 6th June to 17th July Friday to Monday, from 18th July to 11th September daily, from 12th to 29th September Friday to Monday, and from 17th to 27th October daily.

Cliff top path leading to South Foreland Lighthouse

Directions: You will not be able to drive to South Foreland Lighthouse. To reach the lighthouse I suggest parking at St Margaret's Bay and following the cliff top path back towards Dover. This is a beautiful walk taking about twenty minutes. Inclines are steep in places. Click here for an interactive road and satellite map centred on South Foreland Lighthouse

Access: This is a difficult building for those with mobility problems. There is a photo album tour. The grounds are partly accessible, but there are some steep slopes. For those with sight problems there is a Braille and large print guide.

Contact: 01304 852463

Fax: 01304 215484

E-mail: southforeland@nationaltrust.org.uk