Location: Northwest coast of the Isle of Wight, Southern England Date completed: formed during Alpine orogeny 66 million years ago Designers/builders: Natural feature Function: Tourist attraction, lighthouse base

The first impression of the Needles on the North West tip of the Isle of Wight is that, while spectacular, they don't look particularly needle-like, resembling more jagged teeth. The name has its origins in a fourth column, called Lot's Wife, which was needle shaped and gave the name to the whole formation. Unfortunately, Lot's Wife collapsed during a fierce storm in 1764, but the rocks retained the name. Three rocks, rising to about 100 ft (30 m), form the Needles, which are part of a chalk ridge that forms the backbone of the Isle of Wight. The Needles is a popular tourist attraction for holidaymakers on the Isle of Wight, its popularity helped by their proximity to Alum Bay and the Needle Pleasure Park situated at the top of the cliff. There are breathtaking views, historic sites and the Needles Park Chairlift from the cliff-top down to Alum Beach, providing a bird's eye view of the beach and the multi-coloured cliffs. The military were also attracted to the site over the years. An artillery battery was installed in the 1860s and later decommissioned. The headland at High Down was used for testing of the Black Knight and Black Arrow rockets from 1956 to 1971. Both the Battery and Rocket Testing rooms are popular visitor attractions. The Needles are undoubtedly a fascinating sight, but for years these rocks were a dangerous hazard for shipping making their way up the Solent to Southampton and Portsmouth. In 1786 Trinity House built a new lighthouse on the cliff-top overlooking Scratchell's Bay but at 427 ft (144 m) it was often hidden by sea mist. In 1859 Trinity House built a new lighthouse. Built of granite on the outermost of the Needles rocks, it was 109 ft (33. 25 m) high. This is essentially the Lighthouse which forms such an iconic part of the Needles seascape. The builders cut away much of the base rock to form foundations and underground store rooms. In 1987 Trinity house constructed a helipad and on 8th December 1994 the keepers left the lighthouse for the last time when it was automated.