Castelle small wall lantern - 1 light source - Black Quintiesse

Castelle in the small size is an exterior wall lantern: a black cast aluminium frame with a white ribbed etched glass cylinder inside. The frame is open, its vertical posts leaving the glass visible from every side, and the faceted roof and base end in small finials. It belongs to the Castelle family by Hinkley, distributed in Europe by Quintiesse of the Elstead group.

Size and wall mounting

The lantern stands 292 mm high, measures 152 mm across and projects 180 mm from the wall, so it does not narrow a doorway approach or a tight terrace. The back plate is 108 mm wide, 224 mm high and only 20 mm deep, sitting flat on the masonry over a standard flush box.

At 2.17 kg it takes ordinary wall plugs in solid brickwork. It runs on 220-240 V mains voltage with no plug, so the supply has to reach the back box, and as a Class I fitting it needs an earth connection. The height is not adjustable; the lantern is usually fixed with the roof a little above eye level, roughly 190-210 cm above the ground.

Rain and corrosion resistance

An IP44 rating means protection against water splashing from any direction, and the manufacturer specifies the lantern for exterior use: a front door, a sheltered porch, a garage wall or a gate post, anywhere rain falls on the housing without a jet of water.

The body is cast in aluminium, which does not rust, and the finish carries a three year anti corrosion guarantee.

How much light it gives and which lamp to buy

Inside is a single E27 lampholder rated up to 60 W. No bulb is supplied, so the colour and brightness are yours to choose: an entrance is usually lit at 2700-3000 K, a warm light. The ribbed etched glass is opaque, spreading the light and hiding the filament, so the lantern glows evenly on all sides without dazzling.

The fitting does not block dimming, but the lamp does the work: you need a bulb marked dimmable and a dimmer in the circuit.

Construction and the Castelle family

The glass is a service part, ordered on its own under GS1128 instead of a whole new lantern. Castelle also comes in bronze with amber glass and in a medium size 383 mm high, identical in width and projection, so a pair can flank a wider doorway.