In the face of rising sea levels and increasing coastal erosion, our maritime and coastal heritage is under threat. The lighthouses of Europe are the most salient features of European civilisations with the oldest history of navigation in the world. Following the West–East and North–South naval routes, sailors have, for centuries, conveyed goods and culture across the world, under the protection of the lighthouse beam.

Existing lighthouses across Europe date from the 17^th century, although mediaeval examples, dating from the beginning of the 14^th century, still survive in the UK. Even in the 17^th Century, the networks of lighthouses around the Mediterranean, the North and Baltic Seas were extensive. However, following the Second World War, many of these historic buildings were inappropriately rehabilitated – it is only in the last decade that lighthouses have started to become accepted as part of Europe’s cultural heritage.

As part of the Framework VI Programme, ‘Culture 2000’, Dr Belinda Colston (School of Natural & Applied Sciences) and four European partners (Greece, Italy, Norway and Cyprus) have begun a €1.25 million project – PHAROS – which aims to develop an holistic strategy for the conservation of historic European lighthouses and their integration into modern society.

As part of the project, Belinda and the UK team (Dr David Watt: Hutton + Rostron Environmental Investigations Ltd; Caroline Davison: Norfolk County Council) will be working with the Friends of Happisburgh Lighthouse, Norfolk, looking at specific conservation issues, such as the effect of marine environments on building and conservation materials, and conservation management planning. Further work will involve raising the awareness of young students and professionals in conservation, and related disciplines, to the specific problems facing historic lighthouses (through seminars, workshops and exhibitions), and looking at ways of making lighthouses, in general, more accessible to the wider community.

For more information see www.ec-pharos.net

As part of the project, a 1-day conference was held at Waxham Barn, Norfolk: ‘Threatened Coastal Heritage: Understanding the Issues ’

 An international Exhibition to raise awareness of the importance of lighthouses to our maritime heritage will be launched in Thessaloniki, Greece, on 13 October 2007.

 An international conference will be held in Cyprus in November 2007  

Colston, B and Watt, D. (2007). The Challenges of Historic Lighthouses. Cornerstone (in press).