Pakefield Lighthouse

Pakefield Lighthouse is located on the clifftop south of Lowestoft. Once a fishing village, Pakefield now forms part of south Lowestoft. It was built along with three subsidiary lights around Lowestoft to mark offshore channels. Pakefield Lighthouse was built to mark the channel between Newcombe Sands and Barnard Sands.

This stretch of coastline has shifting sandbanks and channels, making navigation treacherous. The lighthouse was originally established within the grounds of Pakefield Hall. The circular tower which was painted white and was 30ft tall was designed by Richard Suter.

The lighthouse was first exhibited on 1st May 1832, displaying a fixed red light visible for nine miles. The lantern housed two Argand lamps. It was built at a cost of around £1,000. However, by 1850, the channel it was marking had shifted, so a light at Kessingland, three miles south of Pakefield, was established. Subsequently, Pakefield Lighthouse was decommissioned on 1st December 1864. At the same time, a pair of leading lights was established at Hopton, marking the southern end of the Corton Sand. However, these leading lights only continued until 1871. The Kessingland light was decommissioned in the early nineteenth century, and the building no longer exists.

Following its decommissioning, Pakefield Lighthouse was left derelict for almost 70 years. In the 1930s, the site became the Pontins holiday camp. The lighthouse and cottage were said to have been used as a bar for the holiday camp and later as a darkroom for the camp photographer.

In 2000, a group of volunteers restored the tower. The lantern room was used by the National Coastwatch Institute. Pakefield Coastwatch is now an independent station staffed year-round by volunteers.

There are rumours of the ghost of Crazy Mary, a fisherman’s wife, who waits on the cliffs for her husband’s ship to return. The once-deep ravine close to the cliffs is known as Crazy Mary’s Hole.

The lighthouse is easily missed, as it is not visible from the road, and it often goes unnoticed.

The holiday camp is staffed by security. However, if you have prior permission from Pakefield Coastwatch, you should be able to access the building.

Lowestoft Lighthouse and Lowestoft harbour lighthouses are a few miles along the road.