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Fresh craftsmanship and hard work is now on show to all at the newly refurbished Castle Breakwater lighthouse after months of work in challenging conditions.
The historic lighthouse has been repointed and extensive repair works have been carried out over the past few months to ensure the navigation aid can assist mariners through local waters for another 150 years.
A series of local companies were contracted to help Guernsey Ports’ technical team make the repairs to the iconic building.
The lantern and the top of the tower, known as the cupola, have been removed and rebuilt.
Traditional stone masonry works have also been used to retain the lighthouse’s historic appearance, as well as breathable white paint to help regulate moisture inside.
Martyn Stanfield, Guernsey Ports’ Head of Technical Services, took Express around the beacon showing off the new LED light of red and white.
The traditional lens is no longer needed facing eastwards to allow the light to travel out, but it has been retained on the walkway side to maintain the original look for passersby, he said.
Pictured: Mr Stanfield stood in the rebuilt cupola.
Water ingress was the main issue, but transporting materials and structures also proved troublesome during the works as the breakwater couldn’t support heavy machinery.
Mr Stanfield said some of the glass at the top was cracking, so the iron and panels were replaced by Specialist Glass Services. He said it was an “iconic job” for the firm to undertake.
“Various parts had to be repaired along with the top level and then the roof itself of the land and the capo on top required lots of maintenance because it was leaking and in a bad state.”
New stainless-steel fixings in the cupola should mean it “hopefully” lasts forever, he added.
A new fan should keep the light cool and the cupola moisture free.
Guernsey Ports’ Sarnia workboat was used to move heavy items such as scaffolding to the lighthouse. Poor weather over the summer months also slowed down elements of work: “We were sort of keen to get it open for the summer, but the summer hasn't turned out yet!”
He added that the area around the lighthouse can now be enjoyed by all again, including anglers who are “very happy” the works have completed.
Repairing and restoring the landmark is part of Guernsey Ports’ ongoing maintenance programme.
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