Please
click on the photos to see an enlarged picture with
details
Hunstanton's most famous feature, amongst geologists and
holidaymakers alike, is its magnificent cliffs which
extend along the town's coastline. You cannot help but notice the cliffs' distinctive layers
of red chalk, white chalk and brown sandstone.
Locally, the brown sandstone is known as carrstone.
Many homes have been built throughout the area with
such carrstone.
Hunstanton's first lighthouse was built in 1666.
It stood at St Edmund's Point until it was burnt down
in 1776. Its replacement did not last long
and was replaced in 1844 by the present structure. During the First World War, the lighthouse was used as a
base for secret wireless transmissions monitoring
Germany navy signals. In World War II it was
used as an observation station and gunnery. In 1996 the lighthouse was sold once again. It is
believed to be used as a holiday home even today. There is a red
brick building nearby the lighthouse which is a
coastguard look-out station.
The current lighthouse
ceased to operate as a functioning lighthouse in
1921. The lighthouse role was instead fulfilled initially by
a lightship and subsequently by a fog buoy and light
operated by remote control.
Since 1964, the current lighthouse has been a
holiday home when the building was sold by the local
Council following an advertisement in The Times for
£4,740. Seventy offers were received within
two days.
Located not far from the lighthouse in Old
Hunstanton is the RNLI lifeboat station. Well
worth a visit.
