In the 1700s, travellers making their way
from Sleaford to Lincoln had been confronted by highwaymen on the bleak,
western heath of Dunston & Nocton. One such holdup ended in the
murder of Christoper Wilkinson, who refused to hand over his money to
Dick Turpin. |
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Originally, the pillar had a spiral staircase inside the 92' tower to take the lighthouse keeper to the gallery which surrounded the base of the octagonal 15' lantern. The view from the tower was said to be magnificent . Lincoln Cathedral stood out to the north and, on a clear day, Boston Stump could be seen to the far southeast. It was one of only 3 land lighthouses ever built in England. It proved very popular as an early 'tourist attraction'. There were assembly rooms and a bowling green where travellers could rest and pass the time.
In time, the heath was tamed, becoming good arable land. The lantern gradually
collapsed as the ironwork rusted and, in 1808, the lantern was replaced with a bust of King George
III by the Earl of Buckinghamshire to celebrate 50 years of the king's
reign..
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Thanks to Bill Chambers for supplying the background material for this page
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