The Eddystone Lighthouse is well-known for its extensive history; it is the fourth lighthouse built on the dangerous Eddystone Rocks. Before the first lighthouse was built, several shipwrecks occurred in the area as it was one of the most important naval routes. The first lighthouse on the site was known as Winstanley’s Lighthouse and it was lit on 1698. It was the world’s first open ocean lighthouse. This tower only lasted for a few years until it was destroyed by the Great Storm of 1703.
John Rudyard was commissioned to build the second lighthouse, which was completed in 1709 and destroyed by a fire in 1755. Smeaton’s Tower (designed by John Smeaton), the third lighthouse and most important iteration, was constructed in 1759. It influenced modern lighthouse design and the development of concrete for building. The current tower was lit in 1882 and stands next to the remains of Smeaton’s Tower.
