Industrial History Online

Industrial History Online

Dunston Pillar

Description and History of Site:-
Erected in 1751 by the local landowner Sir Francis Dashwood to guide travellers across the extensive expanse of heathland to the south of Lincoln, Dunston Pillar is almost certainly Britain's only land lighthouse.

As built, it was originally a 92ft (28.04m) high tapering square stone tower surmounted by a lantern while at its base Dashwood provided refreshment rooms and pleasure gardens. The lantern was regularly lit from 1788. The subsequent enclosure of the heath made the lighthouse redundant and it was last used in 1808. In 1810 the Earl of Buckingham substituted a Coade stone statue of George III for the lantern. In 1940 the statue was removed and the tower lowered to minimise the risk to aircraft. Part of the statue was re-erected in Lincoln Castle in 1974.


Further Reading and References:-
https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MLI81950&resourceID=1006
Wright N, Lincolnshire's Industrial Heritage - A Guide, Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, 2004
Labrum E A, Civil Engineering Heritage - Eastern and Central England, Thomas Telford, 1994
Pevsner N, The Buildings of England - Lincolnshire (2nd ed), Penguin Books, 1964, p520


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Key Words :- Inland lighthouse

Viewing the Site :- Can be viewed from the public footpath

Address :- Sleaford Road, Bracebridge Heath and Waddington, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN4 2AN
Grid Ref :- TF 00871 61962
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.145263 , Long -0.493323
Local Authority :- North Kesteven District Council
Pre 1974 County :- Lincolnshire - Kesteven
Site Status :- Listed - Grade II
Historic England List No - 1061942,
Site Condition :- Site disused - but otherwise substantially intact
Site Dates :- 1751 - current
Record Date :- 8 December 2021

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © John Suter