The event, the place, and the community behind it
Candles on the Cobb is one of the most distinctive charity events on the English south coast. Each year, the Rotary Club of Lyme Regis places close to five thousand candles in holders along the full length of the Cobb — the ancient harbour wall that curves out into Lyme Bay — and lights them at dusk to create a spectacular, peaceful display that draws visitors from across Dorset and beyond.
The Cobb is one of the most recognisable structures on the English coastline. Built from Portland limestone over many centuries, it has protected the town’s harbour since at least the thirteenth century and appears in Jane Austen’s Persuasion and John Fowles’s The French Lieutenant’s Woman. Lyme Regis itself sits at the western edge of the Jurassic Coast — a UNESCO World Heritage Site stretching 95 miles from Exmouth in Devon to Studland Bay in Dorset — and is famous for its fossil-rich cliffs and independent seaside character.
Rotary International is a global network of community volunteers who come together to raise funds and support good causes. The Rotary Club of Lyme Regis has served the local community for many decades, organising events and directing charitable giving towards both local needs and international causes. Candles on the Cobb is the club’s flagship annual event and one that has grown considerably in profile over the years.
The charities nominated to receive funds vary from year to year and are chosen to reflect both local priorities and wider need. Past beneficiaries have included hospice care, lifeboats, children’s charities, and international disaster relief. The public is encouraged to donate on the night, and Gift Aid declarations mean that every pound given by a UK taxpayer is worth significantly more to the charity.
Candles on the Cobb is an independent community site that celebrates this event and the broader life of Lyme Regis and the Dorset coast. We publish practical guides to charity fundraising, local history, volunteering, and community events, as well as stories about the people and places that make this corner of England special. We are not an official publication of the Rotary Club.
If you have a story to share or a question about the event, please get in touch.