Winstanley became a merchant, investing some of the money he had made from his work and commercial enterprises in five ships.
 Two of them were wrecked on the Eddystone Rocks near Plymouth, and he demanded to know why nothing was done to protect vessels from this hazard.
  Told that the reef was too treacherous to mark, he declared that he would build a lighthouse there himself, and the Admiralty agreed to support him with ships and men.

Construction started on 14 July 1696.
 The octagonal tower was to be built from Cornish granite and wood, with ornamental features and a glass lantern-room in which candles would burn to provide the light, and was to be anchored to the rock by 12 huge iron stanchions.
 One notable incident during its construction occurred in June 1697.
 At this time Britain and France were at war, and a naval vessel had been assigned to protect the workers whenever they were on the reef.
 On this particular day, the commissioner at Plymouth, George St Lo, ordered the ship to join the fleet and did not provide a replacement.
Instead, a French privateer destroyed the work done so far on the foundations and carried Winstanley off to France.
Louis XIV, however, ordered his immediate release, with the words: "France is at war with England, not with humanity".
 Winstanley returned to the Eddystone reef, construction resumed, and the first Eddystone Lighthouse was completed in November 1698.

The lighthouse suffered some weather damage during the winter of 1698 - 1699, and the light was often obscured by spray breaking over the top of the tower.
 Winstanley therefore had it rebuilt the following spring on a larger scale, with extra stonework and even more elaborate decoration.
Both lighthouses fulfilled their function.
During the five years of their operation, no ships were wrecked on the Eddystone.
Winstanley became a merchant, investing some of the money he had made from his work and commercial enterprises in five ships.  Two of them were wrecked on the Eddystone Rocks near Plymouth, and he demanded to know why nothing was done to protect vessels from this hazard.   Told that the reef was too treacherous to mark, he declared that he would build a lighthouse there himself, and the Admiralty agreed to support him with ships and men.
Construction started on 14 July 1696.  The octagonal tower was to be built from Cornish granite and wood, with ornamental features and a glass lantern-room in which candles would burn to provide the light, and was to be anchored to the rock by 12 huge iron stanchions.  One notable incident during its construction occurred in June 1697.  At this time Britain and France were at war, and a naval vessel had been assigned to protect the workers whenever they were on the reef.  On this particular day, the commissioner at Plymouth, George St Lo, ordered the ship to join the fleet and did not provide a replacement. Instead, a French privateer destroyed the work done so far on the foundations and carried Winstanley off to France. Louis XIV, however, ordered his immediate release, with the words: "France is at war with England, not with humanity".  Winstanley returned to the Eddystone reef, construction resumed, and the first Eddystone Lighthouse was completed in November 1698.
The lighthouse suffered some weather damage during the winter of 1698 - 1699, and the light was often obscured by spray breaking over the top of the tower.  Winstanley therefore had it rebuilt the following spring on a larger scale, with extra stonework and even more elaborate decoration. Both lighthouses fulfilled their function. During the five years of their operation, no ships were wrecked on the Eddystone.
Henry Winstanley