Orfordness Lighthouse

2010 - Discontinuation of Aids to Navigation at Orfordness.

The beginning of the end appears to be underway for Orfordness Lighthouse in 2010.

For more information please click on the link below.

Keep up to date with developments on the “In the News” page.

TRINITY HOUSE 2010 – Aids to Navigation Review

2001 - Photograph of Lighthouse Lamps at The Jolly Sailor - Orford

This photograph was taken in the bar of  The Jolly Sailor - Orford in October 2001.

The lamps displayed (from left to right) are from the sector light, the main light, in use between 1959 and 1991, and the main light in use from 1991 to the present day.

These lamps are still on display today in The Jolly Sailor.

1993 - Charlie Underwood at the Lighthouse

1993 -Entrance Porch

Above the door into the tower from the entrance porch is the date the lighthouse was built in Roman numerals (see picture below):

1992 - Bicentenary

In 1992 Orfordness lighthouse was opened to the public during the summer to celebrate it’s bicentenary.

The opening was reported on Anglia News on 9th June 1992 and BBC Look East on 28th July 1992.

Please click on the buttons below to see the clips of the news reports:

Information on the history of the lighthouse that was provided to the public can be found on the Trinity House website linked below.

Trinity House - Orfordness Lighthouse

1992 - Anglia TV - A Village in Suffolk presented by Paul Barnes

The following extract was taken from Anglia TV’s “A Village in...” series when they came to Orford.

It was presented by Paul Barnes and aired on 5th April 1992. This clip shows Paul speaking with Charlie Underwood at the Lighthouse.

The length of this video clip is 1min 49sec. Click the button below to play the clip in a new window.

1992 - BBC Radio Suffolk - A Visit to the Lighthouse

The following recording was made by BBC Radio Suffolk when Charlie Underwood took John Ely, one of their reporters, for a visit to the Lighthouse.

Unfortunately I do not have the exact date of the transmission, however I hope you enjoy listening to the journey from Orford Quay to the top of the Lighthouse.

The length of this audio clip is 43 mins. Click the button below to play the clip in a new window.

1971 - Guinness Book of Records

In the 1971 edition of the Guinness Book of Records it was incorrectly reported that Orfordness Lighthouse was the brightest Lighthouse in the United Kingdom. The extract from that edition, on page 120, reads:

“The lighthouse in the United Kingdom with the most powerful light is the shorelight Orfordness, Suffolk. It has an intensity of 7,500,000 candelas. The Irish Light with the greatest intensity is Aranmore on Rinrawros Point, County Donegal.”

This was retracted in the subsequent edition and I believe the reason for the incorrect entry was because one too many zero’s were added to the intensity during submission.

The current lamp and optic configuration of the Lighthouse produces 635,000 candelas.