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 I-listed 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.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smeaton%27s_Tower