Eddystone Lighthouse

Eddystone Lighthouse stands on the Eddystone Rocks off the coast of southwest England and marks a notoriously hazardous reef south of Plymouth. The site has been the location for a succession of lighthouses and sea-safety engineering works since the late 17th century.

The current lighthouse is the fourth structure erected on the rocks and dates from the 19th century; it was built in stone to provide a more durable aid to navigation on the shipping approaches to the English Channel. The light and structure are maintained by Trinity House and continue to serve as an operational navigational aid.

Previous towers on the site are notable in the history of civil engineering and lighthouse construction, including timber and earlier masonry designs that were damaged or replaced by later, more robust stone designs. The Eddystone site is frequently cited in engineering histories for innovations in offshore construction.

The lighthouse stands on an isolated reef roughly to the south of the Plymouth waterfront, marking one of the main approaches to the English Channel and the ports on the southwestern English coast.

• Fourth lighthouse: The present tower is the fourth lighthouse on the Eddystone Rocks and was completed in the 19th century; it replaced earlier timber and masonry towers.