The North Foreland Lighthouse Including Attached Lighthouse Keepers Houses

The North Foreland Lighthouse, along with its attached lighthouse keepers' houses, is a significant structure located on North Foreland Road in Broadstairs. The lighthouse was originally built in 1691, increased in height in 1793, and further modified at the end of the 19th century. The lighthouse keepers' houses were added around 1860.

Architecturally, the lighthouse features a stuccoed octagonal tower that has two stages. The base is battered, and it has a moulded cornice at the top, a moulded band halfway up, and a plinth. The tower stands at 57 metres tall and is topped by a circular lantern house with a platform added in 1890. A gabled porch with kneelers and a slate roof, likely added in the later 19th century, enhances the entrance.

Flanking the lighthouse are two lighthouse keeper's houses, which are connected by one-storey stuccoed windowless corridors. These houses also have hipped slate roofs and central brick chimneystacks with four flues each. They are two storeys high, featuring three windows, wide bracket eaves cornices, casement windows with hoodmoulding, and central gabled porches with kneelers and crests. The rear elevation of the houses has blank windows.

Historically, a light was first used at the North Foreland in 1499, but the first proper lighthouse was constructed by Sir John Meldrum in 1636. This initial structure was made of timber lath and plaster and was destroyed by fire in 1683. A new tower, measuring twelve metres tall and built of brick, stone, and flint, was completed in 1691. Initially coal-fired, the fire was enclosed in a glazed lantern in 1719, which was later removed in 1730 due to complaints from shipping. In 1793, the lighthouse was expanded by adding two storeys and replacing the coal fire with 18 oil lamps. Trinity House acquired the lighthouse in 1832, and the lighthouse keepers' cottages were in use from around 1860 until 1995.