[2][3] They marked the southern approach to Yarmouth Roads which, in the seventeenth century, was a key roadstead and anchorage, in frequent use both by vessels engaged in the local herring trade and by colliers on the route from Newcastle to London.

[7] The remaining 'Low Light' was discontinued in 1706 following sea encroachment, but then re-established in 1730 as a wooden tower that could be easily moved in response to further changes to the Stamford Channel and shoreline.

[7] In 1777 the brazier in the High Light was replaced with an innovative form of reflector known as a 'spangle light': 126 lamp wicks (fed from an oil cistern by a common fuel line)[10] were set in a circle around a central column on which were glued 4,000 tiny mirrors; it was said to be visible some 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) out to sea.

[12] The new Low Light (also known as Lowestoftness Lighthouse)[18] was lit by a three-wick oil burner set within a second-order fixed catadioptric optic designed by James Timmins Chance,[19] which gave a visible range of 11 nautical miles (20 km; 13 mi).

It was first lit on 15 January 1867 and shone red out to sea but with two white sectors indicating the safe inshore water (or Roads) to the north and the south.

[27] It was housed in a wooden building on ground level, beneath the light, along with a pair of two-horsepower Tangye gas engines to provide compressed air.

In 1870 the decision was taken to electrify the High Light,[32] and because the tower itself was deemed not to be strong enough to support the new arc lamp and other equipment it had to be rebuilt.

[7] The new High Light was provided with a revolving first-order dioptric optic[33] manufactured by Chance & co., an 'octagonal drum of lenses' which flashed white every thirty seconds.

In 1901 the High Lighthouse was fitted with a Kitson oil vapour burner,[35] which increased the intensity of the beam from 63,000 to 241,000 candlepower.

[40][41] Both lighthouses were reprieved in 2009 following a review by Trinity House that found that satellite navigation systems were not yet sufficiently reliable.

[42] The main light at Lowestoft continues to use the twin 4th order 250mm catadioptric lenses with a range of 23 nautical miles (43 km; 26 mi).