Latest news
Current Project Status
The Royal Sovereign Lantern Tower is in safe storage in Bexhill. We have been requesting for two-and-a-half years to lease a piece of land at the bottom of Galley Hill, to include part of the public car park. At the moment the land is owned by Rother District Council....
Town Council Meeting
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 22ND APRIL 2026The Chairman of Bexhill Maritime gives a status report of the project condensed into three minutes It may have seemed as though things had gone quiet on the Bexhill Maritime front but the trustees have been working hard. We gave an...
Press Release: 17th January 2025
CHASING A PIECE OF HISTORY A 90-mile chase across Sussex has rescued a piece of the Royal Sovereign Lighthouse from the jaws of the metal crusher. A team from Bexhill Maritime (BM), the charity behind the planned maritime centre on the seafront, had to move quickly to...
February 2025 Press Coverage
Volunteers chase down a piece of lighthouse history.
January 2025 Press Coverage
A £500 donation from a Bexhill estate agent had us back on the front page of the Bexhill Observer on 20 December 2024. Reporter Andy Hemsley took the chance to update readers on the project. The same story featured in the Bexhill News in its January 2025 edition.
Estate agents back Maritime
A Bexhill estate agency has become the latest business to back the project to build a maritime centre on the seafront. Burgess & Co in Devonshire Square have donated £500 to Bexhill Maritime. The proposed centre on East Parade will feature an exhibition area...
Taking a stand
Bexhill Maritime was spreading the word at the Ocean Symposium. The annual event is organised by the United Nations Association Climate and Oceans. It features talks and discussions about marine life, pollution, the effects of climate change and the state of the...
October 2024 Newsletter
Last month we sent our second email newsletter to our members. It included an update on what is happening out at the site of the former Royal Sovereign Lighthouse, as well as exciting details of some of the artefacts that we have managed to save. If you're a Bexhill...
Award for BM founder
The founder of Bexhill Maritime, Raymond Konyn, has been honoured for his contribution to the community. He has been given a Mayor's Civic Award by Bexhill Town Council for his years of service to the town. It was presented by Town Mayor Councillor Lynn Brailsford at...
Back on the front page
Bexhill Observer journalist Justin Lycett was given a close-up look at the Royal Sovereign Lantern Tower in its storage place. He was shown around the structure by the founder, chair and trustee of Bexhill Maritime Raymond Konyn and vice-chair and trustee Gordon...
£500 boost from the police
Bexhill Maritime has received a £500 boost from Sussex Police thanks to PCSO Daryl Holter. He was able to secure the grant from the Police Property Act Fund, made up of monies received by the police from property confiscated by order of the court and then sold....
Thank you, Lions!
Bexhill Lions Club has awarded £1,200 to Bexhill Maritime. The money will be used towards programming costs for the educational section of the charity's website. A series of talks is being planned which will need extra website facilities developing. The cheque was...
Sussex World news update
In pictures: Plans unveiled for the future of an iconic piece of Sussex maritime history The lantern tower of the famous Sovereign Lighthouse, which has been a landmark off the Sussex coast for more than half a century, is set to go on permanent display in a Sussex...
Podcast about Royal Sovereign Lighthouse
The most recent episode of the Keeping Watch podcast features the Royal Sovereign Lighthouse extensively. There is an interview with the Royal Sovereign's last Principal Keeper, Dave McGovern, as well as an archive recording of the lighthouse's first Principal Keeper,...
Recent press coverage
The Lantern Tower's arrival in Bexhill caused a stir - as reflected in the coverage of the two local newspapers. It made the front page of the Bexhill Observer with a picture of it being lowered into position at Ibstock. The full story appeared on page 9 in their 15...
It’s Move Day!
The Lantern Tower is moved into its temporary home at Ibstock in BexhillThe Royal Sovereign Lighthouse Lantern Tower arrives at its new temporary home at Ibstock in Turkey Road, Bexhill. We are very grateful to Coussens Cranes and K Drury and Sons for their hard work...
Lantern Tower arrives in Bexhill
The Royal Sovereign Lighthouse Lantern Tower has arrived in Bexhill. Bexhill Maritime achieved its first major objective on Wednesday 6 December 2023 by taking delivery of the iconic tower. It had been sitting on the quayside at Shoreham port since October. On Tuesday...
United Nations Association Ocean Symposium
Bexhill Maritime had a stand at the Ocean Symposium organised by the United Nations Association. It was an all-day event featuring presentations on various marine projects in Sussex. It featured updates from the organisations involved and a series of short films about...
Royal Sovereign Project Update November 2023
We are very grateful to Herbosch-Kiere, the contractors appointed by Trinity House to dismantle the Royal Sovereign Lighthouse, for allowing us to share this amazing video.Become a member
Safe on shore!
Safe on shore – the first picture of the Royal Sovereign Lighthouse Lantern Tower awaiting its journey to Bexhill. It will soon be on its way to Bexhill to form the centrepiece of a new Maritime Environment Centre planned for East Parade. The lantern tower has...
Top’s off!
The once proud Royal Sovereign Lighthouse has now been reduced to a stump. The cabin section was lifted off on Sunday 1 October by a giant floating crane called Gulliver. The demolition company, Herbosch-Kiere, will return next year to remove the Sovereign Stump....
Questions and Answers
Bexhill Maritime has been getting out and about meeting residents living near the proposed site of the Maritime Centre. Representatives were invited to a town councillors' surgery to answer residents' questions. The surgery was held for Sackville Ward residents by...
Backing for Bexhill Maritime
Bexhill Chamber of Commerce and Tourism has given its backing to the Bexhill Maritime project. In its column in the Bexhill Observer the Chamber says it will create “a unique beacon of regeneration on our seafront.”
Press Release
The Royal Sovereign Lighthouse Tower has been saved for the people of Bexhill. It is hoped to install it on the seafront as part of a new Maritime Centre. The iconic Royal Sovereign Lighthouse has been visible on Bexhill’s horizon since 1971. It replaced a...
Launch day!
Here we go… Bexhill Maritime was officially launched on Friday 25 August 2023. Pictured are the trustees making a champagne toast on the seafront site on East Parade. They are holding that day’s edition of the Bexhill Observer which featured the news on...
