# Naze Navigation Tower



## Lightbuoy (Apr 13, 2007)

The Naze Navigation Tower, erected by Trinity House in 1720, was a forerunner to Lighthouses. Trinity House being the Authority responsible for all the planning, construction & maintenence of all lighthouses, lightships, and navigation buoys for England & Wales.
T.H. are still in existance today, now based close to the harbour in Harwich, Essex.
The Naze Tower guided ships during the day by acting as a landmark, then at night, an fire would of been lit, thus giving sailors a fixed bearing point & to warn of the nearby cliffs.
During WW2, the tower was used as a look-out station, and the brick parapet was removed to make room for a radar, which formed a communication chain, including Bawdsley Transmitter Station, which I believe was the first ever Radar Station.
For such a structure so close to the coast, it unusually has never been rendered, and recently the brickwork was extensively restored, as part of the refurbishment works to enable this historic tower to open to the public for the first time.
Inside, the tower is split into several floors, with an ornate iron spiral staircase taking you up to the roof, where the parapet has been re-instated. The views from the top are magnificent, and well worth the climb! 
There is a tea room, and an art gallery.
For now then, the future of the tower is safe, although with the nearby cliffs suffering from coastal errosion, urgent defence works are needed, to prevent the tower from toppling into the sea!
For more info, please visit the Official Naze Tower website below........
http://www.nazetower.co.uk/

and for a bit more info.............
http://www.bbc.co.uk/essex/content/articles/2005/06/30/coast05walks_stage1.shtml

Some pictures from me most recent visit will follow soon!

Lb


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## Lightbuoy (Apr 13, 2007)

*General outside shots...........*


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## Lightbuoy (Apr 13, 2007)

*Building close by -any ideas?............*


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## Lightbuoy (Apr 13, 2007)

*Inside shots..............*


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## Lightbuoy (Apr 13, 2007)

*Views from the windows & roof! ..........*


























































So, that's about it. Hope that you found this place interesting 

Lb


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## Bishop (Apr 13, 2007)

Good work LB, interesting place, I like the history behind it and a
good selection of photos which imo are spot on. I will admit though
that a few of your photos looking down the spiral staircases and
the outside of the tower make my vertigo kick in.

b


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## Abo (Apr 13, 2007)

The amount of time I've spent in Walton, and I never knew this existed!! Chers LB


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## Foxylady (Apr 13, 2007)

Bishop;12016; said:


> I will admit though
> that a few of your photos looking down the spiral staircases and
> the outside of the tower make my vertigo kick in.


 Me too!
Superb pics of an interesting place, Lb. Especially of staircase, though, despite the vertigo, and the window (from the inside!  ).
Cheers
Foxy


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## staffordshireranger (Apr 13, 2007)

i have to say that is smart...i love towers did anyone see the converted water tower i posted on 28days...but towers make great living spaces and yours is great...it just looks a bit odd as i`ve not seen a brick one just the red and white ones lol SR BEING NIEVE LOL...


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## King Al (Apr 14, 2007)

As usual great pictures from lightbuoy, that tower is certainly imposing, is it easy to get to the top? Tour, open door etc. what a veiw!!!


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## Lone Explorer (Apr 14, 2007)

grate set of image  

/DSCN5317.jpg how English sitting in a line


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## Lightbuoy (Apr 16, 2007)

Bishop;12016; said:


> Good work LB, interesting place, I like the history behind it and a
> good selection of photos which imo are spot on. I will admit though
> that a few of your photos looking down the spiral staircases and
> the outside of the tower make my vertigo kick in.
> ...



Good day to you Sir B,

Thanks. Wanted to see what it was like inside the tower for ages, but had been sealed up for years, until it was opened to the public a few years ago. Yes, it is rather high, and frankly scary up on the roof when it's blowing a gale! Bet that you're glad pillboxes aren't as high! 

Tally-ho ol' boy  

Lb


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## Lightbuoy (Apr 16, 2007)

Abo;12017; said:


> The amount of time I've spent in Walton, and I never knew this existed!! Chers LB



Well, it's easy to miss on a foggy day! Seriously though, it is out on a bit of a limb: it's at the end of a road, but well worth the visit. See below for the location via Flash Earth.
http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=51.864625&lon=1.28826&z=16.6&r=0&src=msl

Bye for now,

Lb 

P.s. -don't forget your bucket & spade!


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## Lightbuoy (Apr 16, 2007)

Foxylady;12018; said:


> Me too!
> Superb pics of an interesting place, Lb. Especially of staircase, though, despite the vertigo, and the window (from the inside!  ).
> Cheers
> Foxy



Ta very much Foxy. This place has always facinated me, perhaps because it was sealed up tight for years, and looked like it would never open.
All credit due to the people who have put in the many months of work to restore the tower. Just hope that the Environment Agency / Local Council will recognise the importance of this unique tower, which is a popular tourist attraction, by protecting the cliffs, whic are being erroded at an alarming rate  

Cheerio,

Lb


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## Lightbuoy (Apr 16, 2007)

staffordshireranger;12020; said:


> i have to say that is smart...i love towers did anyone see the converted water tower i posted on 28days...but towers make great living spaces and yours is great...it just looks a bit odd as i`ve not seen a brick one just the red and white ones lol SR BEING NIEVE LOL...



Howdy SR,

You are quite right, it is very unusual for such a tower to be left with exposed brickwork, especially as the salty sea air is particularly corrosive to brickwork. Haven't seen that water tower, but it's good to hear about a bit of imaginative re-useage of a structure, instead of just bulldozing it, or letting it crumble! As for the tower not being stripey, well there's always Photoshop!! 

Lb


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## Lightbuoy (Apr 16, 2007)

King Al;12031; said:


> As usual great pictures from lightbuoy, that tower is certainly imposing, is it easy to get to the top? Tour, open door etc. what a veiw!!!



Many thanks King Al  
There are stairs to get to the top, very nice ornate iron ones too. Keeps ya fit, that's for sure -over 100 steps to the top!!! 
You pay to get in, then can wander up & down the tower at your leisure.
The owner is usually there, and she can tell you about the tower etc. It's only £2 to get in -a bargain me thinks! Yes, great views (unless it's foggy!) 

Bye,

Lb


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## Lightbuoy (Apr 16, 2007)

Lone Explorer;12035; said:


> grate set of image
> 
> /DSCN5317.jpg how English sitting in a line



Thanks a lot LE.
Yes, very regimental -looks like they are all waiting for something!
Perhaps due to the proximity of the wartime defences, they are the Home Guard under cover!  

Lb


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