Henry Winstanley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Winstanley
|
|
|---|---|
Self portrait, c. 1680
|
|
| Born | 31 March 1644 |
| Died | 27 November 1703 (age 59) |
| Nationality | English |
| Occupation | Engineer |
Henry Winstanley (born March 31, 1644 – died November 27, 1703) was a talented English painter, engineer, and businessman. He is most famous for building the very first Eddystone lighthouse. This important lighthouse helped ships avoid dangerous rocks. Sadly, he passed away during a huge storm while working on the lighthouse.
Contents
Henry Winstanley's Early Life and Work
Henry Winstanley was born in Saffron Walden, Essex, England. He was baptized there on March 31, 1644. His father worked for the Earl of Suffolk, who owned Audley End House. Young Henry also worked at Audley End, first as a porter and later as a secretary. In 1666, King Charles II bought Audley End House. He used it as a base when he went to horse races in Newmarket. The house became like a royal palace.
Henry became interested in engraving after a big trip around Europe. This trip happened between 1669 and 1674. He was very impressed by the buildings he saw and the detailed pictures made of them. When he came back, he likely learned engraving from a famous artist named Wenceslas Hollar. He then worked at Audley End House.
In 1676, Henry started a huge project. He began making detailed engravings of Audley End House. This work took him ten years to finish. These pictures are very important today. They show us what English manor houses looked like a long time ago. He also designed a set of playing cards that became very popular. In 1679, he became the Clerk of Works at Audley End. This meant he was in charge of building and repairs. He held this job until 1701.
Henry Winstanley was well known for his love of clever machines. He especially liked those that used water. He built a house for himself in Littlebury. He filled it with all sorts of fun and quirky inventions he made himself. This "Essex House of Wonders" became a local attraction. Many people came to visit it.
In the 1690s, he opened a special show in London called "Winstanley's Water-works." This was a place where visitors could see amazing things. It had fireworks, fountains that never stopped, and many other clever machines. One famous invention was "The Wonderful Barrel" from 1696. It could serve both hot and cold drinks from the same machine! This show was very successful and made a lot of money. It even continued to operate for several years after Henry passed away.
Building the Eddystone Lighthouse
Henry Winstanley became a merchant, which means he bought and sold goods. He used some of the money he earned to invest in five ships. Sadly, two of his ships crashed on the Eddystone Rocks. These rocks are near Plymouth and are very dangerous for ships. Henry wanted to know why nothing was being done to protect vessels from this hazard.
He was told that the rocks were too tricky to mark. So, he bravely declared that he would build a lighthouse there himself! The British Admiralty, which is like the navy's main office, agreed to help him. They provided ships and men for the project.
Construction of the lighthouse began on July 14, 1696. The plan was to build an eight-sided tower. It would be made from strong Cornish granite and wood. It would also have fancy decorations and a glass room at the top. Inside this room, candles would burn to create the light. The lighthouse was to be held firmly to the rock by 12 huge iron poles.
Something interesting happened in June 1697 during construction. At that time, Britain and France were at war. A navy ship was supposed to protect the workers on the reef. But one day, the ship was ordered away, and no replacement was sent. A French privateer, which was like a pirate ship working for France, attacked. They destroyed the work done so far on the lighthouse's base. They also captured Henry Winstanley and took him to France.
However, the King of France, Louis XIV, heard about it. He immediately ordered Henry's release. The king famously said: "France is at war with England, not with humanity." Henry returned to the Eddystone reef, and building continued. The first Eddystone Lighthouse was finished in November 1698.
The lighthouse got some damage from bad weather in the winter of 1698-1699. Also, the light was often hard to see because waves splashed over the top. So, Henry rebuilt it the next spring. He made it bigger and stronger, with more stone and even more decorations. Both versions of the lighthouse worked very well. For five years that they were in use, no ships crashed on the Eddystone rocks.
Henry Winstanley's Death
Henry Winstanley was very confident in his lighthouse. He even said he wished he could be inside it during "the greatest storm there ever was." Sadly, his wish came true in a way. The lighthouse was completely destroyed on the night of November 27, 1703. This happened during a terrible event known as the Great Storm of 1703. Henry was visiting the lighthouse that night to make repairs. He lost his life when the storm destroyed his amazing creation.
See also
- Eddystone lighthouse
