Southwold pier and paviillion before the pier itself was rebuilt
A Trip up a Lighthouse, Southwold, Suffolk - 27th October 2019
It's one of those laws of the universe: you can go somewhere millions of times and still have never done the obvious stuff. And so it was with the lighthouse just off St. James's Green in Southwold, having seen it countless times, and even walked near or past it on many occasions. This time, though, we were both a) near it and b) noticed it was open and so finally got round to having a look. It's also unusual as it's Trinity House's only "inland" lighthouse (for a definition which means maybe 100 metres in and definitely not battered by the sea on regular occasions), which gives it a distinctive wide-open-on-the-inside build. This contrasts to, say, Smeaton's Tower in Plymouth, which as the former Eddystone lighthouse, originally sited eleven miles into the Atlantic, was built to be almost solid with a narrow spiral flight of steps on the inside. Also here, for want of somewhere to put it, is a photo from Mother and Mike's collection showing the pier when it had mostly fallen into the sea. The pavillion was restored to financial success between 1987 and 1992, whilst the pier itself was eventually rebuilt between 1999 and 2001.
next album: Day of the Dead Party at the Oaksmere, Brome, Suffolk - 2nd November 2019
previous album: GSB at the Eye/Pouzauges Twinning Anniversary, Hartismere School, Eye, Suffolk - 24th October 2019
We're back in Tim Hunkin's Under The Pier Show
Fred does the amusing 'walk the dog' machine
Harry peers over whilst the dog has found a cat to chase
Harry grins at the 'test your nerve' drooling dog
Fred has a go, and gets drooled on
We walk down to the end of the pier
The tin men on the clock are still doing their comedy weeing
People watch the clock
Looking back to the mural of George Orwell
Fred does the 'Quantum tunnelling telescope' whilst Harry tries to be in the way
The end of the pier
Harry looks out to sea
People on the beach at Southwold
Isobel gets some ice creams
Harry shows off his missing teeth
Ice creams and fizzy drinks - quality
Fred grins
Walking the dog
The lighthouse beckons
An improvised cone of some sort
The Southwold lighthouse
We stop off for sweets first
The boys are like kids in a sweet shop
An array of classic sweets in jars
The wide-open inside of the lighthouse, and a spiral staircase up to the top
Isobel and the boys climb the stairs
A view over Southwold
The gang in the lantern room
The stacked Fresnel rings are reminiscent of a Dalek somehow
the actual light is made up of a bunch of LEDs
One of the earlier tungsten lamps that would be sent off for re-filamenting when they failed
Southwold Pier from the lighthouse
Looking down Stradbroke Road, Southwold
The light looks like some sort of astronomy aparatus
The next tour group is assembling on the ground floor
Looking back from outside Adnams' Brewery
The church of St. Edmund King and Martyr
The nave of St. Edmund
Mediaeval rood-screen paintings
Fred and Harry have a very quick mess around in the nearby playground
Harry in a spider's web
The old hospital is being done up as flats
Back at Southwold Pier
Beach huts: a study in blue
On the edge of Halesworth is an amusing horse and rider
Back at home, Fred plays some guitar
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Southwold pier and paviillion before the pier itself was rebuilt