The Sussex coast was formed in the Late Cretaceous period between 66 and 101 million years ago, creating what we now know as the gleaming Seven Sisters cliffs.
For lighthouse enthusiasts, 17th-century, granite-built Belle Tout at Beachy Head is the jewel in the crown of this rolling chalk coastline.
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History of Belle Tout
Constructed in 1832 in response to continuous shipwrecks and the loss of many lives, the Thomas Stevenson-designed lighthouse served this coast for just 70 years before it was decommissioned in 1902 due to coastal erosion.
Visiting Belle Tout
Today, Belle Tout houses holiday guests rather than lighthouse keepers, a sanctuary from the bustle of everyday life overlooking the glory of this coastline. Peer out over the English Channel and spot the offshore wind farm; on a clear day you can see the coast of France, when Dieppe feels just a stone’s throw away.