Designed by James Walker, Trinity House built the light and decided that ‘in order to render it readily distinguishable from all other Lights in that vicinity, it will present a quick but regular succession of Flashes of Brilliant Light.’   

With a revolving series of eight oil lamps it was intended to flash once every twenty seconds.  Another fixed light pointed at the Manacles was installed as a further precaution. 

Electric lamps were installed in 1954 together with an electric fog horn and the lighthouse was automated in 1987 and is now controlled from Harwich, flashes every fifteen seconds with a range of twenty two miles whilst the foghorn, when needed, sounds every thirty seconds.