An unlikely mix of locals and lighthouse-lovers including Eddie Izzard, John Craven and the Duke of Devonshire joined the Save Our Stripes campaign to keep Beachy Head Lighthouse red-and-white for at least another ten years.
First painted with red stripes in 1951, the white wasn’t added till 1980.
The owners, Trinity House, intended the lighthouse to go back to its natural grey granite colour. The £45,000 cost was too much for a structure not needed so much in the era of GPS. The LED light still shines 8 nautical miles out into the English Channel.
Eric Ravilious’ beautiful 1939 image shows a faded black stripe.
Built in 1902, it was a fantastic piece of engineering. It took two years and 3,660 tons of Cornish granite to build. Trinity House used a cableway from the cliffs above for transport, and a coffer dam to hold back the sea.
Can you imagine going to work like this? No Health & Safety then.
The campaign was supported by Hempel and Crown paints who will donate the materials needed.
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