Seven decades after one family began restoring Belle Tout Lighthouse, their descendants joined its current owners and local dignitaries to celebrate the extraordinary story of a landmark saved for future generations.
There are buildings with history, and then there is Belle Tout Lighthouse. Perched high above the Sussex coastline at Beachy Head, its story is one of resilience, ingenuity and the determination of the people who refused to let it disappear.
In 2026, Belle Tout celebrated a significant milestone: 70 years since Dr Edward Revill Cullinan and his wife, Joy Cullinan, began the restoration that would save the lighthouse from ruin.
To mark the occasion, the Cullinan family returned to Belle Tout, joining current owners David and Barbara Shaw for a special celebration attended by the Mayor of Eastbourne, Councillor Margaret Bannister, the High Sheriff of East Sussex, Michael Bedingfield DL, the Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council, Councillor Stephen Holt, and a host of local VIPs.
It was a fitting tribute to the people whose vision, commitment and care have shaped the lighthouse’s remarkable journey.
A lighthouse rescued from ruin
Belle Tout first began operating on 11 October 1834, guiding ships along the challenging coastline beneath Beachy Head. Its service as a working lighthouse came to an end on 2 October 1902, when it was decommissioned and subsequently sold. During the Second World War, the building suffered damage from Canadian gunfire described as friendly fire. Left in ruins, its future looked uncertain. Then, in 1956, Dr Edward Revill Cullinan and his wife Joy took on the challenge of restoring the lighthouse, leasing it from the council. Their architect son, Ted Cullinan, joined them in the ambitious project.
Their determination gave Belle Tout a future beyond its original purpose. Seventy years later, that decision was celebrated by Ted’s daughters, Emma Cullinan and Kate Cullinan, and his nephew, architect Dominic Cullinan. The family’s connection to Belle Tout is more than a footnote in its history. It is central to the survival of a building that has repeatedly faced the threat of being lost.
An extraordinary move to save Belle Tout
Belle Tout’s position on the exposed cliffs brings breathtaking views, but it also presents a significant challenge. Coastal erosion has long threatened the surrounding land, making the lighthouse’s survival dependent on extraordinary engineering. In 1999, the entire building was moved further inland to protect it from the advancing cliff edge. Dominic Cullinan played an important part in the operation, designing the new floor onto which the lighthouse was moved.
And Belle Tout’s story of movement may not be over.
Dominic explained that when the lighthouse needs to be moved again, its design will require a new ground floor to preserve the height of the lantern room.
“When it is moved again, it will gain a new ground floor, to maintain the height of the lantern room at its present height, which means that each time it moves, it will get taller from the ground up.”
The next move is anticipated in around 15 to 20 years. Engineers have already left the mechanism in place to help make that future operation possible. There is also a particularly poignant family detail from the 1999 relocation. It was Joy Cullinan herself who returned to switch on the hydraulic pump that began moving the lighthouse away from the cliff edge. Having helped save Belle Tout decades earlier, she was there to play a part in protecting it once again.
A new life as a unique coastal retreat
In 2008, David and Barbara Shaw purchased the freehold of Belle Tout and embarked on a comprehensive, carefully considered restoration of their own. Two years later, they opened the lighthouse as a bed and breakfast, giving visitors the opportunity to stay within this extraordinary piece of Sussex history. Today, Belle Tout offers guests much more than somewhere to spend the night. Its dramatic position provides views across Beachy Head, the Seven Sisters and the South Downs, creating a distinctive experience shaped by the surrounding landscape.
For David and Barbara, preserving the building has meant balancing respect for its past with the practicalities of giving it a sustainable future.
Reflecting on his involvement in Belle Tout’s continuing story, David said:
“I feel very privileged to be part of Belle Tout’s amazing history. It is nice to do something different in life; something to be remembered by”.
Their work continues the tradition established by the Cullinan family: recognising the importance of this remarkable building and investing in its future.
Celebrating the landscape through three new bedroom names
The anniversary celebration also marked another chapter in Belle Tout’s evolution, with three bedrooms officially given names inspired by the spectacular views beyond their windows. The Mayor of Eastbourne opened the newly named Beachy Head bedroom, while the High Sheriff of East Sussex officially opened Seven Sisters. David and Barbara Shaw then opened South Downs. Each name reflects an important part of the surrounding landscape, bringing the character of the coastline and countryside into the guest experience.
It was a fitting way to celebrate Belle Tout’s place within the local area, recognising the natural beauty that has made its setting so distinctive for nearly two centuries.
Looking ahead to the next chapter
From its first days as a working lighthouse in 1834 to its rescue by the Cullinan family in 1956, its extraordinary relocation in 1999 and its transformation into a bed and breakfast in 2010, Belle Tout has continually adapted to survive. Its story is a testament to the people who have recognised its importance and taken responsibility for protecting it. The Cullinan family’s restoration secured its future at a critical moment, while David and Barbara Shaw have continued that legacy through their careful restoration and custodianship.
With another move likely to be needed in the decades ahead, Belle Tout’s journey is far from finished. The preparations already in place are a reminder that preserving a historic building sometimes requires looking beyond the present and planning for the challenges of tomorrow.
As the celebration drew to a close, David Shaw offered a simple wish for the lighthouse’s future:
“May Belle Tout Lighthouse stand positively upon these cliffs for many generations to come.”
And with each new chapter, Belle Tout continues to prove that its story is about far more than a lighthouse. It is about the people who save it, the families who care for it and the generations who will continue to discover its remarkable place on the Sussex coast.