PERFUGIUM MISERIS is an overlooked part of Ramsgate’s history. It is the Latin motto which is carved into the beautiful lighthouse, at the end of the western harbour arm. This lighthouse was designed by Georgian master engineer, John Smeaton (1724 – 1792), though built nearly 100 years later, who is widely regarded as the “father of civil engineering”. PERFUGIUM MISERIS translates as “refuge for those in need”.
These two words are a message from the town to the world beyond and stand as a memorial to those who lost their lives beneath the waves, beyond the safety of the harbour walls. Many of those lives were lost in the Great Storm of 1703 which, through tragedy, brought about significant change to Ramsgate. Widely believed to be the only true hurricane to hit British shores at full force, the storm caused the deaths of roughly 1500 sailors from the Royal Navy on the Goodwin Sands alone. That is without the countless lives lost in other vessels out at sea, as the storm raged across the country. The need for a more effective refuge in the area resulted in a new harbour design for Ramsgate, the reconstruction of the harbour commenced from 1749 and took a century to complete with the lighthouse marking the harbour mouth
Facts
Established: 1783, Current Lighthouse Built: 1842, Height: 11 Metres (36.09 Feet), Operator: Ramsgate New Port, Designer: John Smeaton

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