Herne Bay Lighthouse

This octagonal lighthouse was built in 1899 on concrete piles supporting a wooden building, with the tower itself constructed from concrete. Standing 15 meters tall, its focal height reaches 18 meters, and it emits a quick white flash. The structure, painted white and red, is situated offshore of Herne Bay, approximately 8 km north of Canterbury, and once marked the end of the Herne Bay Pier. The pier facilitated passenger ship traffic until 1963, but was largely destroyed by storms in 1978 and 1979, with the remainder demolished in 1980. Recent assessments indicate the lighthouse structure is nearing collapse.

Why it matters: The lighthouse is a tangible link to Herne Bay's maritime history, particularly its former passenger shipping operations via the pier. Its unique octagonal design atop a wood building on concrete piles represents a specific engineering style of its time.