The Eddystone lighthouses past and present

Four famous lighthouses have been built to mark the dangerous Eddystone Reef, a treacherous group of rocks that lie some 14 miles south west of Plymouth.

Most of the reef is submerged and only three feet of rock is visible at high tide - even on calm days, water can be thrown into the air in spouts.

In olden times, sea merchants were so afraid of being wrecked on the reef that they sometimes sailed around the Channel Islands or the French Coast to try and avoid it.

For more detailed information about each of the Eddystone lighthouses visit the following pages:

• Winstanley's Light 1698 to 1703
• Rudyerd's Light 1708 to 1755
• Smeaton's Light 1759 to 1882
• Douglass' Light 1882 to present