The lighthouse at Orford Ness has withstood storms, hurricanes, strafing by German warplanes, incoming doodlebugs and even the nearby testing of bombs and nuclear detonators.
But now, after 228 years protecting ships from its rocky Suffolk spit, the lighthouse is succumbing to a far greater foe: the sea.
According to Nicholas Gold, a former corporate lawyer who bought the grade II listed building for £2,000 in 2013, the 100ft tower must be safely demolished before it is toppled by the next big storm.
The earth beneath its porch has vanished and the lighthouse keepers cottage has already been swept out to sea.
Gold has found a demolition firm willing to do the work for within his £50,000 budget, but the lighthouse is likely to tumble into the North Sea before he can obtain the necessary permits and planning permissions.
