The Old Lighthouse is a Grade II listed building in the Isle of Wight local planning authority area, England. First listed on 18 January 1967. Lighthouse.

The Old Lighthouse

WRENN ID
stranded-cellar-wagtail
Grade
II
Local Planning Authority
Isle of Wight
Constituency
Isle of Wight West MP: Richard Quigley (Lab)
Country
England
Date first listed
18 January 1967
Type
Lighthouse
Address
The Old Lighthouse, Niton Down, Niton and Whitwell
OS grid reference
SZ 494 771
Coordinates
50.59216, -1.30309
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The Old Lighthouse is an unfinished lighthouse built in 1785. It features a low circular tower with two storeys, constructed from stone rubble and faced with ashlar, and has upright rectangular window spaces. Trinity House planned for this lighthouse to replace the old medieval pharos located about 150 metres to the north in the adjoining parish of Chale. However, the building was abandoned before it was completed due to frequent mists that obscured the hill. Another lighthouse was not constructed until 1838-1840 along the coast after the wreck of the 'Clarendon' in Chale Bay in 1836, which is now known as St Catherine's Lighthouse. Locally, the old lighthouse is referred to as "the Salt Cellar," while the medieval pharos is known as "the Pepper Pot."

Local climate

The Old Lighthouse receives an average of 800 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 54% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 87% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 7 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 95% of listed buildings. Of these, 3 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

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Nearby listed buildings

  1. Tower of St Catherine's Oratory Grade II 124 m
  2. Milestone Opposite Chale House Grade II 807 m
  3. Upper Houses Grade II 930 m
  4. Chale Abbey Grade II* 1.0 km
  5. Niton Manor Grade II 1.1 km
  6. Barn at Chale Abbey Grade II* 1.1 km
  7. Down Court Farm Grade II 1.1 km
  8. Monument at Extreme North West Corner of Churchyard of St John the Baptist Grade II 1.1 km
  9. Lower House Grade II 1.1 km
  10. Milestone Against the South East Corner of the Churchyard Wall of Church of St Andrew Grade II 1.1 km