Burnham-on-Sea Low Lighthouse
The Low Lighthouse is one of three historic lighthouses in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, England, and the only one of the three which is still active. It is a Grade II listed building and stands on the foreshore. First lit in 1832, the Low Lighthouse operated in conjunction with the (onshore) High Lighthouse for 137 years. Then, in 1969 (after improvements had been made to the High Lighthouse) the Low Lighthouse was deactivated; but later, in 1993, the Low Lighthouse was re-established and the High Lighthouse was instead decommissioned).
| Location | Burnham-on-Sea, Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, Somerset, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| OS grid | ST2989350400 |
| Coordinates | 51°14′54″N 3°00′21″W |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1832 |
| Construction | wood (tower) |
| Height | 9 m (30 ft) |
| Shape | square tower on nine pilings |
| Markings | white tower with a red vertical stripe on seaward side |
| Operator | Somerset Council |
| Heritage | Grade II listed building |
| Light | |
| Deactivated | 1969–1996 |
| Main light | |
| Focal height | 7 m (23 ft) (white) |
| Range | 12 nmi (22 km; 14 mi) (white) |
| Characteristic | Fl W 7.5s |
| Directional light | |
| Focal height | 4 m (13 ft) |
| Range | 10 nmi (19 km; 12 mi) |
| Characteristic | F WRG |
The Low Lighthouse has long been known as 'the Lighthouse on Legs', as evident in an 1859 guide book: "the writer has heard merry children, while sporting on the sands, call this smaller beacon, the lighthouse on legs".