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All the United Kingdom England Burnham-on-Sea Burnham-on-Sea Low Lighthouse

Burnham-on-Sea Low Lighthouse

The unusual stilted beacon is the town's only active lighthouse.

Burnham-on-Sea, England

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Edward Moye
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Burnham-on-Sea Low Lighthouse.   Oliver Herbold/used with permission
Burnham-on-Sea Low Lighthouse.   Oliver Herbold/used with permission
The lighthouse.   Secret Somerset/cc by 2.0
The lighthouse.   IDS.photos/cc by-sa 2.0
The lighthouse.   Tom Bastin/cc by 2.0
The lighthouse in 2014.   Matt Prosser/cc by-sa 3.0
As seen in 2007.   Steve F/cc by-sa 2.0
The lighthouse.   blubbered33 / Atlas Obscura User
  rbenn250 / Atlas Obscura User
  Driftwood1966 / Atlas Obscura User
  Driftwood1966 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

This leggy wooden lighthouse is the only active lighthouse in Burnham-on-Sea, England. As such, the unusual stilted structure is both a beloved local landmark and a much-needed beacon.

The Burnham-on-Sea Low Lighthouse was constructed in 1832 by Joseph Nelson to guide ships through the Bristol Channel. The waterway, with its rapidly shifting sands, mudflats, and large tidal range, was notoriously tricky for sailors to navigate.

The stilted lighthouse was built to replace an earlier version, which was found to have too low of a vantage point. It remained in service up until 1969, when the council opted to use the nearby High Lighthouse instead. But after three decades of inactivity, the Low Lighthouse was once again put to use in 1993, after the High Lighthouse was sold and discontinued.

Now, the lighthouse does more than guide ships through the channel’s wayward waters. It’s also a beacon for beach walkers, too. At low tide, locals and tourists alike like to stretch their legs and walk across the sand to visit the charming structure up close.

Related Tags

Architectural Oddities Lighthouses Woodwork Navigation Architecture

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The lighthouse is right on the town's main beach. From the pier, it's about a 10-15-minute walk to the lighthouse. The lighthouse looks especially picturesque at sunset.

Community Contributors

Added By

blubbered33

Edited By

Kerry Wolfe, rbenn250, Driftwood1966

  • Kerry Wolfe
  • rbenn250
  • Driftwood1966

Published

September 19, 2018

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Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnham-on-Sea_Low_lighthouse
  • http://www.burnham-on-sea.com/lighthouses.shtml
  • https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/burnham-seas-little-lighthouse-story-926112
Burnham-on-Sea Low Lighthouse
River Parrett
Burnham-on-Sea, England
United Kingdom
51.248392, -3.0058
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