Disused Foghorn Testing Facility in Dungeness Becomes Holiday Accommodation

A former foghorn testing station, now disused, located in Dungeness, stands as one of the distinctive holiday rental properties on Kent’s Romney Marsh. The structure, which was revitalized 15 years ago by the artist Fiona Naylor-Johnson, played a vital role in maritime safety from the 19th Century until the 1980s. Other holiday accommodations situated on the shingle beach include old railway carriages and a previously operational fuel pumping station. Rowena Cardwell, from the letting agency Bloom Stays, which oversees the property, commented: “People love coming to Dungeness for its unique feel and history.” She further elaborated, “By renovating these properties that had fallen into disrepair, we’re preserving that history and bringing new people to the area who spend their money in the three pubs and fish shop.” Cardwell concluded, “It’s a place to relax and unwind and there’s also the extraordinary location and unusual buildings to explore.” The single-storey brick-built edifice contained compressed air canisters, which were connected to newly constructed foghorns for testing during sea trials. Evidence of the building’s former function can still be observed, including a substantial structure at the rear of the main building housing six foghorns, a small gauge railway track, and a hoist that was used to connect foghorns to compressed air canisters. Ms Cardwell stated that Trinity House previously owned the land, and its most active period was between the 1950s and 1980s. During this time, testing involved a land-based team sounding the foghorns while another team at sea was “listening and reporting back the notes and range.” These distinctive properties are either owned by a small artistic community or rented out to holidaymakers. Many cottages have been constructed around disused railway carriages that were sold to employees of the Southern Railway for use as holiday cabins. The former fuel pumping station was utilized during World War Two to allow ships to take on diesel while at sea.