Stamps depicting Casquets lighthouse, which is located upon the dangerous ‘Rocks called the Casketts’ off the island of Alderney in the Channel Islands, have been released by Guernsey Post’s philatelic bureau to mark the lighthouse’s 300^th anniversary.

Casquets Lighthouse was built in 1724 after concerned shipowners navigating the waters petitioned the rocks’ proprietor, Thomas Le Cocq. It was constructed under license from Trinity House, a charity dedicated to safeguarding shipping and seafarers. Le Cocq was granted a 61-year lease and would receive ½d. per ton when vessels passed the rocks.

Trinity House chose to build three towers so that the lights would distinguish it from other lighthouses on the opposite shores of England and France. Built of Alderney stone, the individual towers were named St Peter, St Thomas and Dungeon and each contained a coal fire housed within a glazed lantern. Stone walls linking the three towers were constructed, creating a triangular compound for the lighthouse keepers who lived on site.

In 1854, each tower was raised by about 30 feet. Trinity House opted to leave only one tower active, although the height of this tower was raised again and fitted with a more powerful lamp to compensate for the loss of the other two lights. The new light displayed three two-second flashes every 30 seconds; it had a range of 17 nautical miles (31 km; 20 mi), at a height of 120 feet (37 m) above sea level.

Les Casquets’ three original towers remain in use today, although only one tower still exhibits a light. The lighthouse runs solely from renewable energy, provided by a 6kw solar system, a 2.5kw wind turbine and a solar thermal heating system. A rainwater catchment and treatment system is also installed on site to process and produce drinking water.

The stamp products are available at www.guernseystamps.com or by calling Philatelic Customer Services on 01481 716486.