Brehon Tower is accessible only by boat and sits on Brehon Rock in the Little Russell.
It was designed by a royal engineer, Captain G F Mann, and constructed by Guernseymen for military purposes in about 1856.
The structure is delicate and is closed to the public due to safety concerns. It is owned and maintained by the States.
Two property unit engineers, Chris Taylor and George Nichols invited Sir Richard Cripwell to join them on their latest six-monthly inspection.
Having spent 40 years as a royal engineer in the military, Sir Richard said the local fortification had always sparked his interest, so he and Lady Cripwell were keen to jump on the rib along with his administrative secretary, Rachael McCutcheon – who is a keen amateur archaeologist – for the rare opportunity to step foot inside the historical feature.
‘I’ve always been pretty sure that the Brehon Tower was, at the very least designed by Royal Engineers – if not built by them, as many of the fortifications of the Bailiwick are,’ he said.
Although not strictly a Martello tower, Brehon represents the final evolution of the basic design of the Martello tower, which intrigued Sir Richard further.
‘In my service I’ve seen them all over the world,’ he said.
‘I also grew up in South Dublin where there was a Martello tower very close to my house, so I’m fascinated by them. And here we are, living in a wonderful place where there is a Martello Tower almost certainly designed by a Royal Engineer that I see almost every single day – and in fact have rowed around in races.’
Sir Richard said even in the clear weather, Brehon Rock was not easy to navigate, and once ashore he was surprised to discover that the tower was not round, but oval-shaped.
‘It was fantastic,’ he said.
‘It’s one of those wonderful things where an original design has been adapted for its site.
‘The quality of the build is exceptional, their attention to detail was considerable.’
The Germans occupied Brehon Tower during the Occupation, and inside it remains how they left it.
‘You can clearly see the work the Germans did to make this blank, dark canvas more habitable,’ said Sir Richard.
‘The spaces, as designed, were quite big. But there was a number of much smaller rooms for the officers, and the walls are packed with straw to retain heat.
‘It is slightly eerie, but you get a genuine sense of what it must have been like to live there, which was fascinating. It must have been pretty miserable out there.’
Sir Richard said it was a great privilege to join the States team.
‘The team could not have been kinder to allow me to go along and see this extraordinary piece of Victorian design and construction a bit closer than one normally gets,’ he said.
‘It’s an iconic view.
‘A very fine example of Guernsey craftsmanship and a significant piece of history.
‘It’s nice to see that the States is making sure that it remains – I can’t see the seas taking it down any time soon.’
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