hon tower guernsey

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The BrÃÂ©hon Tower (Fort Brehon) is accessible only by boat and sits on BrÃÂ©hon rock an island in the Little Russell channel northeast of St Peter Port in Guernsey. It sits between the port and the islands of Herm and Jethou. Thomas Charles de Putron built the oval tower of granite from Herm completing the work in 1857. Similar in style to a Martello Tower this fort was occupied by German Forces in World War Two. Although not strictly a Martello tower, BrÃÂ©hon represents the final evolution of the basic design of the Martello tower. In 1914 the War Office transferred ownership of BrÃÂ©hon Tower to the States of Guernsey. During the German occupation of the Channel Islands, the German military placed anti-aircraft guns on the tower. Today, although the site is open to visitors, the tower is closed. The tower holds a light operated by the Guernsey Harbour Authority. The island is home to a breeding colony of common terns.