Smeaton's Tower is a memorial to celebrated civil engineer John Smeaton, designer of the third and most notable Eddystone Lighthouse. A major step forward in lighthouse design, Smeaton's structure was in use from 1759 to 1877, until erosion of the ledge it was built upon forced new construction. The tower was largely dismantled and rebuilt on Plymouth Hoe in Plymouth, Devon, where it stands today.

After the structure was completed, the lighthouse's 24 candles were lit on 16 October 1759. Each candle weighed between 2 pounds (0.9 kg) and 5 pounds (2.3 kg). A timepiece placed alongside the light was set to chime every half-hour, alerting the lighthouse keeper to the need to replace expired candles.

Smeaton's Tower ceased operation in 1879 with the illumination of Douglass's Tower on an adjacent rock. The foundation and stub of the old tower remain on Eddystone Rocks, close to the current lighthouse. Since the foundation proved too strong to be dismantled, it was left where it stood.

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