The Watch-house
THE WATCH-HOUSE, SIZEWELL GAP
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1391360
- Date first listed:
- 22-Nov-2004
- List Entry Name:
- The Watch-house
- Statutory Address:
- THE WATCH-HOUSE, SIZEWELL GAP
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1391360
- Date first listed:
- 22-Nov-2004
- List Entry Name:
- The Watch-house
- Statutory Address 1:
- THE WATCH-HOUSE, SIZEWELL GAP
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- THE WATCH-HOUSE, SIZEWELL GAP
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Suffolk
- District:
- East Suffolk (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Leiston
- National Grid Reference:
- TM4754262749
Details
79/0/10022
22-NOV-04
LEISTON
SIZEWELL GAP
The Watch-house
II
Coastguard watch-house. c.1823. Brick with slate roof and brick stack. Single storey open plan building with a second storey added to the eastern end to create a watch-tower. The eastern facade retains a triangular bay window supported on a dragon beam at first floor level over a planked double door at ground floor which provided access for the rocket-cart. A planked door at ground floor level provides access on the southern facade and a square window providing additional light to the watch-tower is located at first floor level. On the western elevation the original double door has been infilled in brick. To the northern elevation a small musket gun port, positioned opposite the door on the southern elevation, has been infilled. A small coal store has been constructed to the east of this.
Internally the ground floor has been subdivided to the western end by the construction of a modern stud wall. The original wooden runners for the rocket-cart survive in the eastern part of the building. A staircase with a removal section below a small landing is located in the south eastern corner and provides access to the first floor level. A planked wooden cupboard is located in the north eastern corner.
At first floor level the stairwell is surrounded by a rail with hexagonal knobs and can be closed by means of a trap door. The walls are partly lined with tongue-and-groove panelling. An original fireplace with a mantle shelf with two brackets to allow the fixing of a telescope is located on the northern wall. A musket rack is located on the west wall which is boarded to the ceiling. To the south of the musket rack is a small peep hole which can be open or closed via a sliding wooden panel.
The watch-house was built in the 1820s when the preventative waterguard was consolidated and the coastguard formed. There is a record of a lease for the watch-house at Leiston dated 1823 and the building is specifically referred to in the 1840 tithe records. The watch-house remained in use until the 1980s when it came into the ownership of Suffolk Coastal District Council
The watch-house at Leiston is a particularly fine example of a coastguard watch-house remaining little altered and retaining a significant number of its original fixtures and fittings.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 491882
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 09-Jul-2026 at 14:21:07.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.