Tower 57 was a manned coastguard station throughout the 1830's and may have continued in this function until it was lost, probably due to sea erosion.
It was occupied at the time of the 1841 Census by two men receiving half pay from either the Army or the Navy, either as caretakers or coastguards. Two coastguards were occuping the tower by 1851.
The 1873 report described Tower 57 as being safe from encroachment by the sea, but this prediction was obviously short-lived. On New Year's Day, 1877, the coastguard station nearby was severely damaged by a storm which caused the four coastguards and their families, a total of 23 people, to seek refuge in Tower 57 as the sea encroached.
The tower was probably that which was put up for auction as well as Tower 55 in August 1908 as lot 27. The bidding reached £430, but the tower was withdrawn from the sale, as the reserve price had been £500. According to the Eastbourne Gazette of August 19, the tower had already been used as a dwelling for some time, and a door knocked through at ground level.
It is possible that Tower 57 was that which had its central pillar removed in 1911, apparently without affecting the structure of the tower, although this might have speeded up the collapse of the tower when undermined.
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| Tower 56 | Tower 58 |