For the first time since 1837 the Black Rock beacon is now lit. The isolated danger in the middle of the entrance to the harbour has a white light exhibiting the following characteristic Fl (2) ten seconds. The light has a range of three miles.

To warn sailing ships of the isolated rock, known 200 years ago as the Falmouth Rock or Parson's Rock, the Rector of Falmouth had a pole erected on Black Rock. The large elm "as thick around as a man" was placed in a hole in the rock and secured by molten lead.

A conspicuous red pennant, which is now hanging in the gallery of the parish church, flew from the pole. By Act of Parliament, passed in the reign of Charles II, the Rector once received 6d for each decked ship which entered Falmouth.

St Anthony's lighthouse was built in 1834. Three years later the Falmouth building firm of Olver & Sons began work on building the Black Rock beacon.

Masons had to level off a 20 foot square base on the shoal and foundations for the granite structure went six feet down into the rock floor. The conical beacon is 37 ft high, 20ft wide at the base and four foot wide at its apex. Five cranes were erected on site and four were washed away in gales. The final bill for the navigation mark was £2,260 9s 10d. In comparison St Anthony's lighthouse took just one year to build at a cost of £2,295.