The repointing of the Castle Breakwater Lighthouse has been completed, lighting the way for the rebuild of its lantern and dome.
In recent months the lighthouse has been covered in scaffolding so that the top of the tower, known as the cupola, could be removed and repaired. During that time, the entire structure has been repointed and the building is now being cleaned up.
The lighthouse serves as an essential navigational marker for mariners in local waters.
Martyn Stanfield, Head of Technical & Estate Services for Guernsey Ports, said:
"The pointing is now complete. We are just waiting for the last of the joints to cure before unwrapping the bottom section and then the whole structure can be cleaned down to remove any stains."
Extensive repair works have been carried out on the lighthouse to fortify its structure against cracking and water ingress.
Mr Stanfield said: "The external masonry joints have been removed to approximately 25mm depth over the entire lighthouse. There were cracks, small holes and larger voids in the masonry joints.
"Stoneworks have repointed the joints with a lime-based mortar using a fine grade sharp sand and lime-based heritage cement. This will not only reduce cracking and water ingress, it also uses traditional materials to retain the lighthouse's historic appearance."
The stone masonry will be completed shortly and will enable the rebuild of the lantern and cupola, which have undergone significant repairs and refurbishment by the Ports' technical team.
Corroded sections of the lantern's metal frame have been replaced and new glazing bars have been made. The roof of the cupola has been refurbished along with new guttering.
All items have been dismantled and will be rebuilt on-site. Mr Stanfield said this will allow for a manual installation as the use of a crane is not possible.
Repairing and restoring the landmark is part of Guernsey Ports' ongoing maintenance regime on beacons and navigational marks, ensuring that mariners sailing in Bailiwick waters are provided with reliable aids.