Built between 1759 and 1764, Smeaton’s Tower stands 22 metres tall on the Hoe in Plymouth, overlooking the Sound. The lighthouse was designed by renowned engineer John Smeaton and is one of the oldest surviving sea towers in Britain. Its distinctive red and white stripes have guided vessels past the rocks for over two and a half centuries. The tower is constructed from Cornish granite and features a dovetail joint design that proved revolutionary for its time, allowing the structure to withstand the relentless battering of Atlantic waves and gales.
Today, Smeaton’s Tower is designated Grade I listed and functions as a museum and visitor attraction rather than an active beacon. Tourists and locals can ascend the internal staircase to reach viewing platforms offering panoramic vistas across the English Channel and the Cornish coast. The tower’s historic interior displays artefacts and interpretive materials about maritime history, the engineering feat of its construction, and the lives of keepers who served there. It remains one of Plymouth’s most recognisable landmarks and a tangible link to the era of seafaring that shaped the city’s character.