During the 18th century, the Isle of Man's treacherous coastline presented a serious hazard to ships trading between England, Ireland and Scotland and subsequently it became the scene for countless shipwrecks. After an act of Parliament in 1815 the construction of three lights on the Island was commenced: one at its northern tip, the Point of Ayre, and two on the Calf of Man, a small island off its south-western tip.
The lighthouses were constructed and operated by the Northern Lighthouse Board under the supervision of renowned engineer, Robert Stevenson. Stevenson was responsible for the construction of 16 lighthouses in the 19th century and was inducted in to the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame in 2016.
The stamps feature images taken by Duke Aerial Productions who are an Isle of Man based company using Small Unmanned Surveillance Aircraft (SUSA), commonly known as drones, equipped with high quality 4k cameras.
Isle of Man Stamps and Coins General Manager, Maxine Cannon said, "We are pleased to celebrate this significant anniversary by offering a bird's eye view of these most familiar Island landmarks in a set of four panoramic stamps. Working as one not only with local businesses but also with The Northern Lighthouse Board and the National Library of Scotland, has meant we are able to share this momentous occasion with the general public."
The 52p stamp shows the Point of Ayre lighthouse, dwelling and service buildings, while the £1.53 features the 'Winkie' automatic light, foghorn and Point of Ayre lighthouse.
On the £2.60 stamp, aligned to the Chickens' Rock, are the upper and lower Calf of Man lights either side of a modern light in use 1968 – 2007 and the £3.10 stamp shows the upper Calf of Man light with a beautiful view to the west coast of the Isle of Man
The collection features a set, first day cover and presentation pack and is available to view and order at www.iompost.com/lighthouses.