NHER 8576 (Building record) - The Lighthouse

History mainly based on information from (S1).
Tower 19m (62 fee) high with associated buildings. Brick and masonry, circular, not tapered.
Brick and concrete above level of gallery added during World War Two.
Trinity House coat of arms in Coade Stone.

1616/1618. First lighthouse built on or near this site. Destroyed by fire. (S3).
1687 Octagonal tower. Privately owned by the Turner family.
1836. Bought out by Trinity House.
1840/1867. Present light house built.
1921. Light extinguished. Then became a holiday home. Occupied by Viscount Elmley, MP.
World War Two. Military lookout.
1972. Part of Hermanus holiday complex.
2000. Now two private dwellings; one in the tower, the other in the fare building.

The original owner was entitled to a penny a ton for every ship that sailed within the light. (S1).
(S2) seems to make two lighthouses here.
D. Gurney (NLA), 28 December 2000.

(S4) quotes date of first lighthouse as 1616. There were indeed two lights, one on the beach and one on the cliffs, the lower light was not privately owned. Date of present tower given as 1840. Converted to house 1922, made into military lookout post in World War Two, now residential again.
E. Rose (NLA), 9 January 2001.

Some of the above information may be a confusion with Winterton Ness Lighthouse.
See NHER 44513.
E. Rose (NLA), 7 August 2001.

January 2006. Norfolk NMP.
The lighthouse described above was used as the Battery Observation Post for Winterton Emergency Coastal Battery. The adjoining buildings were also used by the garrison (see NHER 35863).
S. Tremlett (NMP), 31 January 2006.