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
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
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.
