As the new channel was cut, a light was required to replace the 40-year-old lightship "Rose", which was not suitable to be used at the exposed end of the new channel. The light was erected at together with signal and telegraph station by government staff. The structure was designed by Heath. It was hexagonal in form, containing six rooms of equal dimensions housing three persons, and had a total height of . The seven piles supporting the structure, one at each point and one at the middle, were made of wrought iron, diameter, with screws. They were screwed in the mud, in water which was at low tide and at high tide.