Winstanley's light 1698 to 1703

Henry Winstanley, engraver, merchant ship owner and designer of mechanical waterworks was inspired to build the first Eddystone lighthouse after his ship, the 'Constant' was wrecked on the rocks in 1695.

He began work on his polygonal tower in 1696. It was first lit with 24 candles in 1698 - the first offshore light to be built in Britain.

Winstanley was known as an eccentric and his lighthouse reflected this with detailed architecture including external ladders, a huge weather vane and ornamental scrollwork.

He strengthened and enlarged the tower in the spring of 1699 and introduced even more elaborate features such as Latin and English inscriptions and ornamental wooden candles.

This larger, more robust lighthouse survived for three years before being swept away in a violent storm in November 1703. Winstanley and his lighthouse keepers also lost their lives in the same storm.

Two days after the tragedy, tobacco ship, the 'Winchelsea' was wrecked on the reef but it would be another three years before someone was appointed to design a new lighthouse for the place where Winstanley's once stood.

Visit the Museum's Object of the Month page for information about the Winstanley Salt.