Scarcely a dozen years later the lower light of the two was precariously close to the sea due to shore erosion; it collapsed not long afterward.

Both were fitted with Argand lamps and reflectors (there were fourteen burners in the high light, later increased to sixteen).

[11] At the same time a red sector was added to the low light (marking Sizewell Bank to the north-east) and to the high light (marking the edge of the deep water channel through Hollesley Bay to the south-west).

[12] In 1887 the low light was again lost to erosion; this time it was not replaced (though Southwold Lighthouse, some 24 nautical miles (44 km; 28 mi) to the north, was established shortly afterwards "in lieu thereof").

Unless demolished, the Orfordness tower was expected to survive for seven to eight years before falling into the North Sea.

In the winter of 2013–14, 10 metres of the surrounding beach was lost to erosion; Trust volunteers then installed a sea defence, in the form of gravel-filled bags, to help protect the low cliff in front of the lighthouse.

Notwithstanding these measures, the lighthouse remained "at imminent risk of falling into the sea".

For the longer term, it aspired "to dismantle the Lighthouse and rebuild a replica elsewhere on the Ness".

[19] Storms in September 2019 undermined the bungalow beside the lighthouse, causing it to collapse, and erosion of the beach in front of the structures and to either side of them prevented any further work to repair their foundations and the deployment of any more sea defences.

In winter storms in early 2020, the lighthouse's oil store was swept away and only the tower remained undamaged.