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The Old Light
One lighthouse, two studios, an effects bench of 1,400 props, and a stair that has appeared in more dramas than any actor.
Studio A: the lantern room
The original 1908 lantern room, de-lamped in 1948 and wired for drama. Seats eleven around the table and holds the famous stair, which descends to nowhere and creaks in F sharp.
Studio B: the oil store
Converted in 1961. Quieter, tighter, used for The Midnight Exchange and anything that must sound like a small room telling a large lie.
1,400 props catalogued by Desmond Arkwright, including a recovered ship's whistle, a rain tray the size of a dinner table, and the door whose latch is the closest thing radio has to a signature.
The stair: genuine 1908 fabric, walked at full weight by policy. A careful footstep reads as a lie.
Visiting
The studio opens to the public on the first Saturday of each month, fog permitting. Tours are free, last an hour, and end with the pips.