Smeaton’s Tower

History of Smeaton’s Tower John Smeaton, born in 1724, is known as the father of civil engineering. Smeaton’s greatest achievement was designing a lighthouse on the Eddystone Rocks. Previous lighthouses on the site were the Winstanley Lighthouse and the Rudyard lighthouse. Smeaton’s lighthouse construction began in 1756 and was completed in 1759 at a cost of £40,000. Construction Details Smeaton used a dovetail design and hydraulic lime in building the lighthouse. Cornish tin miners were employed in the construction. The lighthouse’s dimensions were 72 feet in height, with base and top diameters of 26 feet and 17 feet, respectively. Construction was finalized in August 1759 at a total cost of £40,000. Evolution and Operation as a Lighthouse The lighthouse was first lit on 16 October 1759 with candles, later replaced by oil lamps and reflectors in 1810. Major renovations were done in 1841, and it remained operational until 1877. The lighthouse was depicted on various tokens in the 19th century. Transformation into a Memorial Smeaton’s Tower ceased operation in 1882 and was dismantled to be rebuilt as a memorial on Plymouth Hoe. The foundation and stub of the old tower remain on Eddystone Rocks. It became a Grade Ilisted building in 1954, offering visitors the chance to climb 93 steps to the lantern room. Legacy and Recognition In 2009, the lantern of Smeaton’s Tower was lit with 24 candles to mark its 250th anniversary. A granite bust of Smeaton was installed in the tower’s lantern chamber in 2020. The tower has been depicted in various publications and artworks, recognized as a significant engineering achievement of its time.