Panorama taken outside South Foreland Lighthouse on Dover cliffs. The picture, taken late in September 2009, shows a view over the Straits of Dover and the English Channel from the grassy area in front of the lighthouse building. A Union Jack flag hangs in the still afternoon.

South Foreland Lighthouse - Dover visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'South Foreland Lighthouse' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Kent.

South Foreland Lighthouse is one of the tourist attractions around Dover in Kent. The lighthouse stands on top of the Langdon Cliff, part of the White Cliffs of Dover, 1 mile from St Margarets at Cliffe. It is open to the public and managed by the National Trust, entrance fees apply and visitors can ascend the lighthouse tower to see the view from the terrace.

The need to warn sailors of the dangers is centuries old. The oldest shipwreck in England, dating from the Bronze Age around 3100 years ago, was found near , and many more followed since. The first lights were provided by fire beacons, replaced by lighthouses in Roman times. One of these Roman lighthouses still stands at Dover Castle.

The South Foreland Lighthouse also accomplished some historical 'firsts', it was the first lighthouse to use electricity in England. By 1875 the lighthouse was using carbon arc lamps powered by a steam driven magneto. It was also from here that the first ship-to-shore message was received from East Goodwin lightship by Guglielmo Marconi working on radio waves. Soon after the lighthouse received the first ever ship-to-shore distress message, successfully relaying the message onto the Walmer lifeboat. In 1899, South Foreland received the first international message, broadcast from Wimereux in France.

South Foreland Lighthouse was taken out of service in 1988 and sold to the National Trust. Today it is a popular destination for walks along the cliffs from Dover, with guided tours and children's activities.

South Foreshore Lighthouse
The Front, St Margaret's Bay,
Dover, Kent CT15 6HP
Telephone: 01304 852463

Train: Dover Priory Station (3.5 miles walk), Martin Mill (2.5 miles).
Bus: Bay Hill (1 mile away) on the Canterbury-Dover-Deal bus.
Road: Nearest parking at St Margaret's (1 mile) or the National Trust Visitor Centre on Bockel Hill (1.5 miles).