The lighthouse is open 2pm to 4pm, every Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays until the end of September (open every day Wed to Sun during mid July to the end of August) and weekends only in October and November.

Tours cost £3 for adults, £2 for children and £8 for a family ticket. Tours last around 20 minutes.

01502 722 576

Built in 1890 by Trinity House, Southwold’s magnificent white lighthouse stands 101 feet above the town and is yet another iconic image of the region. The decision to place a new Lighthouse here was stimulated by the destruction by nature of one of the two Orford Ness lights 4 miles away during a raging storm.

The view up the lighthouse!

Though the East Anglian coast is generally flat marshland, the land does rise a little at Southwold. This made it an advantageous place to build a lighthouse and the decision was taken to locate it on the town’s highest point. Its beacon can be seen 17 miles out to sea warning passing ships of the approaching shoreline and serving as a guide into Southwold harbour.

The lighthouse was built at the highest point in the middle of the town!

The original light was powered using a new Argand oil burner which gave a brighter light than older types through improved air flow around the wick. Unfortunately, the lighthouse keepers lacked the necessary experience with this technology and, during their first week of operation, found themselves having to deal with a fire in the lantern that destroyed the burner!

92 steps take visitors to the top of the lighthouse

The coloured lens covering the lamps

From 1906 it was lit by an incandescent oil burner and then in 1923 converted to use petroleum vapour. In 1938, like most lighthouses today, it finally switched to electricity and became unmanned. Amazingly however, through well engineered optics the light needs only to be powered by 3 small 12 volt bulbs!

The light is actually 3 12-volt bulbs!

Southwold lighthouse tower is a listed building and an imposing sight. It is typical of the many British lighthouses that adorn the country’s coastline. Few however, offer the opportunity to gain such spectacular views. A trip to Southwold really wouldn’t be complete without a visit to this historic lighthouse. On certain days from April to October, it is open to visitors and they can climb the 92 winding steps of its tower! The effort is well worth it though, as the deck offers superlative views across the Sole Bay, Southwold town and the stunning surrounding coastline.

The coat of arms of Trinity House, who own and operate the lighthouse

The view North (top) and South (bottom) from the top of the lighthouse

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