In 1672 Clifford’s Fort was built as a coastal defence against the Dutch. Its structure enclosed the Low Light which was provided with a separate entrance (a postern), the remains of which survive in the sunken ‘garden’ west of the existing building. Only ten years later, Trinity House was seeking funds, via increased shipping tolls, to repair both the High and Low Lights.
In the early 1700’s, Clifford’s Fort was remodelled. Trinity House records include legal bills relating to the Fort and access to their land enclosed by it – the first signs of an uneasy relationship between themselves and the Governor of the Fort. The Low Light was rebuilt or remodelled in 1727, very likely to raise the height of the lantern because the Governor’s House, built in 1726, was obstructing the light!