user132049: My debug file shows:
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Bitcoin Core version v24.0.1 (release build)
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z InitParameterInteraction: parameter interaction: -externalip set -> setting -discover=0
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Using the 'x86_shani(1way,2way)' SHA256 implementation
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Using RdSeed as an additional entropy source
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Using RdRand as an additional entropy source
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Default data directory /home/rick/.bitcoin
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Using data directory /home/rick/.bitcoin
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Config file: /home/rick/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Config file arg: externalip="62676xoz5zt3jdgyjhombuluqf6ucwwoktfcpoc77g7my7yt6p4ua5qd.onion"
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Config file arg: help-debug="1"
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Config file arg: listenonion="1"
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Config file arg: seednode="hhiv5pnxenvbf4am.onion"
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Config file arg: torcontrol="127.0.01:9051"
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Config file arg: torpassword=****
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Using at most 125 automatic connections (1024 file descriptors available)
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Using 16 MiB out of 16 MiB requested for signature cache, able to store 524288 elements
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Using 16 MiB out of 16 MiB requested for script execution cache, able to store 524288 elements
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Script verification uses 7 additional threads
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z scheduler thread start
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Binding RPC on address ::1 port 8332 failed.
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Binding RPC on address 127.0.0.1 port 8332 failed.
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Unable to bind any endpoint for RPC server
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Error: Unable to start HTTP server. See debug log for details.
Error: Unable to start HTTP server. See debug log for details.
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Shutdown: In progress...
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z scheduler thread exit
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Shutdown: done

My bitcoin.conf is:
 Specify your own public address
externalip=lotsofcharacters.onion
listenonion=1
seednode=hhiv5pnxenvbf4am.onion

torcontrol=127.0.01:9051

# Tor control port password (default: empty)
torpassword=16:LOTSOFCapitalletters

Hidden tor password & external ip for privacy.
(they are valid I have been using them on my lightning node)
PLease do you have any suggestions as to what I can do to get the BTC node back??

user13866: Whenever a service has failed to bind to a high numbered port I have always found it was because another application was already bound to that port. I have always discovered the culprit using netstat -anp  or similar.
N.b. High numbered is > 1023

132049: <p>My debug file shows:</p>
<pre><code>2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Bitcoin Core version v24.0.1 (release build)
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z InitParameterInteraction: parameter interaction: -externalip set -&gt; setting -discover=0
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Using the 'x86_shani(1way,2way)' SHA256 implementation
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Using RdSeed as an additional entropy source
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Using RdRand as an additional entropy source
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Default data directory /home/rick/.bitcoin
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Using data directory /home/rick/.bitcoin
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Config file: /home/rick/.bitcoin/bitcoin.conf
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Config file arg: externalip=&quot;62676xoz5zt3jdgyjhombuluqf6ucwwoktfcpoc77g7my7yt6p4ua5qd.onion&quot;
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Config file arg: help-debug=&quot;1&quot;
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Config file arg: listenonion=&quot;1&quot;
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Config file arg: seednode=&quot;hhiv5pnxenvbf4am.onion&quot;
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Config file arg: torcontrol=&quot;127.0.01:9051&quot;
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Config file arg: torpassword=****
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Using at most 125 automatic connections (1024 file descriptors available)
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Using 16 MiB out of 16 MiB requested for signature cache, able to store 524288 elements
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Using 16 MiB out of 16 MiB requested for script execution cache, able to store 524288 elements
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Script verification uses 7 additional threads
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z scheduler thread start
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Binding RPC on address ::1 port 8332 failed.
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Binding RPC on address 127.0.0.1 port 8332 failed.
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Unable to bind any endpoint for RPC server
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Error: Unable to start HTTP server. See debug log for details.
Error: Unable to start HTTP server. See debug log for details.
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Shutdown: In progress...
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z scheduler thread exit
2022-12-17T09:28:00Z Shutdown: done
</code></pre>
<p>My bitcoin.conf is:</p>
<pre><code> Specify your own public address
externalip=lotsofcharacters.onion
listenonion=1
seednode=hhiv5pnxenvbf4am.onion

torcontrol=127.0.01:9051

# Tor control port password (default: empty)
torpassword=16:LOTSOFCapitalletters
</code></pre>
<p>Hidden tor password &amp; external ip for privacy.
(they are valid I have been using them on my lightning node)</p>
<p>PLease do you have any suggestions as to what I can do to get the BTC node back??</p>
 13866: <p>Whenever a service has failed to bind to a high numbered port I have always found it was because another application was already bound to that port. I have always discovered the culprit using <code>netstat -anp</code>  or similar.</p>
<p>N.b. High numbered is &gt; 1023</p>
