Bell Rock is the oldest surviving rock lighthouse in the British Isles. It stands on a partially submerged reef off the east coast of Scotland, 11 miles from Arbroath. Designed by Robert Stevenson (1772–1850), Bell Rock was built using revolutionary methods. Stevenson commissioned Turner to produce an illustration for his book, Account of the Bell Rock Lighthouse in 1819. Although he had not visited the site, Turner created this dramatic scene, using his vast experience of painting the sea. It is based on Stevenson’s description of a storm battering the lighthouse.