The light—which stands on Point Robert in the north east of the island—is elevated at 65 metres above sea level, indicating the steep rocky nature of the coastline which makes landing on the island almost impossible apart from at the tiny stone harbour at Le Creux. Trinity House commissioned Jarvis to build the lighthouse.
Sark was the last feudal territory in Europe until its constitution was reformed in 2008. It is a mere three miles long and two miles wide, the north and south parts being almost separate islands joined only by a narrow strip of land; Mervyn Peak described the island’s outline as "wasp waisted" in his Sark-based novel Mr. Pye.
The white octagonal tower of the lighthouse rises from the flat-roofed service rooms and dwellings, the whole complex clinging to the steep face of the cliff which rises high above. The only means of access to the lighthouse is a flight of steps down from the top of the cliff.
In Sark Parish Church the front pew, reserved for the Seigneur, possesses a tapestry cover made by the former Principal Keeper HS Taylor, placed there for Easter 1980.
Sark Lighthouse was automated in 1994. The station was re-engineered in 2017. The rotating optic was removed and replaced with two LED lanterns, positioned one above the other to provide a main light and a standby light arrangement, both achieving the navigational requirements; other improvements included the installation of lightning protection and renewal of all electrical systems.
The lighthouse is now monitored and controlled from Trinity House’s Planning Centre in Harwich, Essex.