Smeaton's Tower, Grade I listed lighthouse at Plymouth Hoe, England
Smeaton's Tower is a 22-meter stone lighthouse in Plymouth, England, painted with red and white stripes. The structure shows a broad base that tapers upward, with a glass-enclosed lantern at the top offering views across Plymouth Sound.
The tower was first erected in 1759 on an offshore rock reef where it warned ships away from the Eddystone rocks for nearly 120 years. When the foundation became unstable, workers moved the structure stone by stone to its current site at Plymouth Hoe in 1882.
The tower carries the name of its inventor, an English civil engineer known for his work on waterways and bridges. Visitors can enjoy the view from the lantern room where keepers once worked to warn ships away from dangerous reefs.
Reaching the viewing platform requires climbing 93 steps that wind through the entire height of the stone structure. Admission costs 5 pounds for adults and 2.50 pounds for children.
The first light sources consisted of 24 candles that had to burn all night to guide ships through the darkness. Oil lamps with reflectors replaced this simple method in 1810 and strengthened the beam considerably.
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