Henry Winstanley and the Eddystone Lighthouse

By Adam Hart-Davis and Emily Troscianko

On 26 November 1703, during the worst storm that Britain had ever seen, Henry Winstanley died in his pioneering lighthouse as it was blown apart. He had defied incredible odds to build the first Eddystone Lighthouse in 1698, saving the lives of many sailors from the fate of the thousands who previously died upon the rocks. The Great Gale not only destroyed the man and his lighthouse, but also saw complete devastation throughout the land. And at sea, some 8000 sailors were drowned that night, within yards of the land. Winstanley was an ingenious man. He owned a house of gadgets which was one of London's foremost attractions for decades. In 1695, two of his five ships were lost on Eddystone. He was determined that no more ships should founder and, though thwarted by weather and politics, he built a lighthouse, the first of its kind. It survived terrible winters and withstood devastating storms, guiding ships away from the treacherous rocks that lay ahead with its dim candlelight. After the great storm it was as if the lighthouse had never been. Ultimately, Winstanley's lighthouse led to the building of others on the Eddystone rocks and beyond, thus transforming the safety of shipping. This illustrated work vividly recreates the story of the Eddystone Lighthouse, the character of the man who built it with grim determination fighting against all odds, and the power of the elements that finally destroyed them both.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The History Press
• Release date: Oct 23, 2003
• ISBN: 9780752495118

Adam Hart-Davis

Adam Hart-Davis is an English scientist, author, photographer, historian and broadcaster. He presented the BBC television series Local Heroes and What the Romans Did for Us, the latter spawning several spin-off series involving the Victorians, the Tudors, the Stuarts and the Ancients. He was also a co-presenter of Tomorrow's World, and presented Science Shack.

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