The Historic Sites of South Pembrokeshire
I will be starting my latest 100 Mile Solo Walking Challenge on Thursday 25th April 2024.
I thought it might be a good idea to tell you a little more (Well, probably a lot more!!) about the Historic sites of South Pembrokeshire that I will be visiting along my way. I looked up as many Castles and Fortifications as I could find, all 22 of them! I've probably missed a few out as well as it's been a heavily defended part of United Kingdom since at least the Iron Age. Before trackways and roads the main form of transport was by water whether that be rivers or the sea. Nearly all of the sites I'll be visiting used the proximity to water as their main defence.
1. Start - Near Llanteg
2. Trelissey/Treleesy Enclosure - A circular enclosure with the site of a Roman villa inside it’s circular banks.
3. Amroth Castle - was rebuilt in the 18th and 19th centuries on a 12th century site. It was a feudal residence in the early medieval period. It was acquired by the Elliott family in the 14th century. There was an earlier castle half a mile to the north of which little remains.
4. Tenby Castle - Separating North Beach from Castle Beach, this modest headland is capped by the scanty remains of Tenby's 11th-century Norman castle. The remaining stone structure dates from the 13th century but there are mentions of the castle from as early as 1153. On the very top of Castle Hill is a large memorial to Prince Albert (captioned 'Albert Dda', meaning Albert the Good).
St Katherine’s Island Fort was built between 1867 & 1870 in case invaders should attempt to land and march on the dockyards at the Milford Haven Estuary. It wasn’t fully armed until 1886.
2. Trelissey/Treleesy Enclosure - A circular enclosure with the site of a Roman villa inside it’s circular banks.
3. Amroth Castle - was rebuilt in the 18th and 19th centuries on a 12th century site. It was a feudal residence in the early medieval period. It was acquired by the Elliott family in the 14th century. There was an earlier castle half a mile to the north of which little remains.
4. Tenby Castle - Separating North Beach from Castle Beach, this modest headland is capped by the scanty remains of Tenby's 11th-century Norman castle. The remaining stone structure dates from the 13th century but there are mentions of the castle from as early as 1153. On the very top of Castle Hill is a large memorial to Prince Albert (captioned 'Albert Dda', meaning Albert the Good).
St Katherine’s Island Fort was built between 1867 & 1870 in case invaders should attempt to land and march on the dockyards at the Milford Haven Estuary. It wasn’t fully armed until 1886.
5. Skomar Defended Enclosure - The defended enclosure is on the headland between Lydstep Haven and Skrinkle Haven.
6. Old Castle Head Promontory Fort - This is on the headland to the south of Manorbier Camp and is restricted access.
7. Manorbier Castle - Craggy, lichen-spotted Manorbier Castle was the birthplace of Giraldus Cambrensis (Gerald of Wales; 1146–1223), one of the country's greatest scholars and patriots. It was founded in the late 11th century by the Anglo-Norman de Barry family. The land was granted to Odo de Barri, a Norman knight, at the end of the 11th century. Initially, he constructed a motte-and-bailey castle on the site which had a wooden keep defended by a palisade and earthworks embankments. In the early part of the 12th century, William de Barri, Odo's son, used locally quarried Limestone to strengthen the fortification. The 12th to 19th century castle buildings are grouped around a pretty garden (where they serve nice coffee!!).
6. Old Castle Head Promontory Fort - This is on the headland to the south of Manorbier Camp and is restricted access.
7. Manorbier Castle - Craggy, lichen-spotted Manorbier Castle was the birthplace of Giraldus Cambrensis (Gerald of Wales; 1146–1223), one of the country's greatest scholars and patriots. It was founded in the late 11th century by the Anglo-Norman de Barry family. The land was granted to Odo de Barri, a Norman knight, at the end of the 11th century. Initially, he constructed a motte-and-bailey castle on the site which had a wooden keep defended by a palisade and earthworks embankments. In the early part of the 12th century, William de Barri, Odo's son, used locally quarried Limestone to strengthen the fortification. The 12th to 19th century castle buildings are grouped around a pretty garden (where they serve nice coffee!!).
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| My South Pembrokeshire Route - each day's walk a different colour |
8. Greenala
Camp - On
a headland between Trewent Point and Stackpole Quay is Greenala coastal
promontory fort, a prehistoric fortified camp.
9. Fishpond Camp - Sited on a cliff overlooking Bosherston Lily Ponds is Fishpond Camp, a promontory fort dating from the prehistoric era.
10. Buckspool Down Fort - Not far from St Govan’s Chapel (thought to be a hermit’s site) is the first of many prehistoric forts on this southern plateau, Buckspool promontory coastal fort.
11. Promontory Fort - Iron Age but I can find no information
12 & 13. Crocksydam Camp & Flimston Bay Camp
The forts are Iron Age promontory forts in spectacular locations on a high cliff overlooking Flimston Bay, near Castlemartin, just east of the well-known sea stack known as the Green Bridge of Wales.
Crocksydam is to the East and Flimston is to the west of the bay. The forts were probably erected sometime between 600 BC and 43 AD. Flimston fort is defended by a series of three earthen banks and ditches on the landward side, enclosing an area of roughly 1.6 hectares. Within this space the ground slopes dramatically. On the eastern side of the fort interior are a number of shallow hollows that may represent platforms for supporting huts.
14. Merrion Camp - Not far from St Twynnells, on the southern slopes of the ridge above the Castlemartin peninsula, is Merrion Camp fortified enclosure. It also gives it's name to the present day Military Training Camp situated beside the B4319.
15. Castlemartin Castle - The village of Castlemartin was in the ancient Hundred of the same name, once centred on a prominent Norman motte-and-bailey castle giving, with the church dedicated to St Martin, the origin of the name.
16. Freshwater West Memorial - The memorial cross, situated on the north western headland overlooking Freshwater West Bay, commemorates the sinking of LCG 15 and LCG 16 a pair of ‘Landing Craft’, swamped and sunk in a severe storm en-route from the H&W Yard, Belfast to Falmouth. The tragedy took place on the night of 25/26th April 1943 with the loss of 85 lives. Most of the victims were from the LCG’s but also included 6 crew from the fisheries protection vessel, HMS Rosemary, who attempted a rescue using their ship’s lifeboat.
17. West Pickard Camp - The first of the prehistoric promontory coastal forts on the Angle peninsula is on the western side of Pickard Bay. It is a scheduled ancient monument.
18. Sheep Island Fort - The promontory coastal fort at Sheep Island is also a prehistoric scheduled monument.
19, 20 & 21. East Blockhouse, Thorne Island and Chapel Bay Fort
Henry VIII issued an order, called a "device", in 1539, giving instructions for the "defence of the realm in time of invasion" and the construction of forts along the English coastline. Soon afterwards work began on the East Blockhouse near the village of Angle it overlooked the mouth of Milford Haven harbour.
The Thorn Island Battery was built during 1852-4 to provide the first forward defence for the Haven waterway, coupled with West Blockhouse, Dale and Stack Rock forts.
Chapel Bay, one of a series of forts built as part of the inner line of defence of the Haven following the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom, it is a Grade II Listed Building and is also known as Chapel Bay Battery. Construction began in 1890, and was completed in 1891. The battery was the first fortification in the area to be built of mass concrete. It could accommodate 91 men, and had a mess room and sick bay facilities. Its initial armament was three ten inch rifled muzzle-loading guns. There were twelve forts constructed to protect the Haven and Royal Dockyards.
22. Angle Tower House
Angle Tower was constructed in the 14th century by the Shirburn family. With 3 foot thick walls, a drawbridge and a moat, it had enough fortification for the family to feel a moderate sense of safety if threatened, particularly by seaborne raiders. It is thought to be the only Peel (Pele) Tower in Wales.
23 & 24. Popton Fort & West Popton Camp - The former continues the fortifications built in the late 1800's. West Popton Camp is a prehistoric fortified enclosure on the southern shore of the Haven.
25. Pembroke Castle - This spectacular and forbidding castle was the home of the earls of Pembroke for over 300 years and the birthplace of Henry VII, the first Tudor king. A fort was established here in 1093 by Arnulph de Montgomery, but most of the present buildings date from the 13th century.
The oldest part of the complex is the looming keep, dating to 1204. Next to the keep is the Dungeon Tower, where you can peer into a dank, dark prison cell. Nearby, with access through the Northern Hall, are steps to Wogan Cavern, a large natural cave that was partially walled in by the Normans and probably used as a store and boathouse. According to research carried out in 2022 the cave was occupied by residents as far back as the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Periods
In the room in which he is believed to have been born, in 1457, a tableau commemorates Henry Tudor (Harri Tudur), who defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 to become Henry VII.
9. Fishpond Camp - Sited on a cliff overlooking Bosherston Lily Ponds is Fishpond Camp, a promontory fort dating from the prehistoric era.
10. Buckspool Down Fort - Not far from St Govan’s Chapel (thought to be a hermit’s site) is the first of many prehistoric forts on this southern plateau, Buckspool promontory coastal fort.
11. Promontory Fort - Iron Age but I can find no information
12 & 13. Crocksydam Camp & Flimston Bay Camp
The forts are Iron Age promontory forts in spectacular locations on a high cliff overlooking Flimston Bay, near Castlemartin, just east of the well-known sea stack known as the Green Bridge of Wales.
Crocksydam is to the East and Flimston is to the west of the bay. The forts were probably erected sometime between 600 BC and 43 AD. Flimston fort is defended by a series of three earthen banks and ditches on the landward side, enclosing an area of roughly 1.6 hectares. Within this space the ground slopes dramatically. On the eastern side of the fort interior are a number of shallow hollows that may represent platforms for supporting huts.
14. Merrion Camp - Not far from St Twynnells, on the southern slopes of the ridge above the Castlemartin peninsula, is Merrion Camp fortified enclosure. It also gives it's name to the present day Military Training Camp situated beside the B4319.
15. Castlemartin Castle - The village of Castlemartin was in the ancient Hundred of the same name, once centred on a prominent Norman motte-and-bailey castle giving, with the church dedicated to St Martin, the origin of the name.
16. Freshwater West Memorial - The memorial cross, situated on the north western headland overlooking Freshwater West Bay, commemorates the sinking of LCG 15 and LCG 16 a pair of ‘Landing Craft’, swamped and sunk in a severe storm en-route from the H&W Yard, Belfast to Falmouth. The tragedy took place on the night of 25/26th April 1943 with the loss of 85 lives. Most of the victims were from the LCG’s but also included 6 crew from the fisheries protection vessel, HMS Rosemary, who attempted a rescue using their ship’s lifeboat.
17. West Pickard Camp - The first of the prehistoric promontory coastal forts on the Angle peninsula is on the western side of Pickard Bay. It is a scheduled ancient monument.
18. Sheep Island Fort - The promontory coastal fort at Sheep Island is also a prehistoric scheduled monument.
19, 20 & 21. East Blockhouse, Thorne Island and Chapel Bay Fort
Henry VIII issued an order, called a "device", in 1539, giving instructions for the "defence of the realm in time of invasion" and the construction of forts along the English coastline. Soon afterwards work began on the East Blockhouse near the village of Angle it overlooked the mouth of Milford Haven harbour.
The Thorn Island Battery was built during 1852-4 to provide the first forward defence for the Haven waterway, coupled with West Blockhouse, Dale and Stack Rock forts.
Chapel Bay, one of a series of forts built as part of the inner line of defence of the Haven following the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom, it is a Grade II Listed Building and is also known as Chapel Bay Battery. Construction began in 1890, and was completed in 1891. The battery was the first fortification in the area to be built of mass concrete. It could accommodate 91 men, and had a mess room and sick bay facilities. Its initial armament was three ten inch rifled muzzle-loading guns. There were twelve forts constructed to protect the Haven and Royal Dockyards.
22. Angle Tower House
Angle Tower was constructed in the 14th century by the Shirburn family. With 3 foot thick walls, a drawbridge and a moat, it had enough fortification for the family to feel a moderate sense of safety if threatened, particularly by seaborne raiders. It is thought to be the only Peel (Pele) Tower in Wales.
23 & 24. Popton Fort & West Popton Camp - The former continues the fortifications built in the late 1800's. West Popton Camp is a prehistoric fortified enclosure on the southern shore of the Haven.
25. Pembroke Castle - This spectacular and forbidding castle was the home of the earls of Pembroke for over 300 years and the birthplace of Henry VII, the first Tudor king. A fort was established here in 1093 by Arnulph de Montgomery, but most of the present buildings date from the 13th century.
The oldest part of the complex is the looming keep, dating to 1204. Next to the keep is the Dungeon Tower, where you can peer into a dank, dark prison cell. Nearby, with access through the Northern Hall, are steps to Wogan Cavern, a large natural cave that was partially walled in by the Normans and probably used as a store and boathouse. According to research carried out in 2022 the cave was occupied by residents as far back as the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Periods
In the room in which he is believed to have been born, in 1457, a tableau commemorates Henry Tudor (Harri Tudur), who defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 to become Henry VII.
Shipbuilding began on the northern shore of the Haven near the village of Hubberston on land owned by diplomat and politician Sir William Hamilton. The town of Milford grew up around this new facility leased to Harry and Joseph Jacob. When they became bankrupt the navy took over the lease. In 1809 a naval commission recommended purchase of the Milford Haven facility and formal establishment of a Royal Navy dockyard. After failing to agree a purchase price for the existing Milford shipyard the Admiralty agreed to purchase land 5 miles across the haven, in a district called Pater (village) or Paterchurch. The town of Pembroke Dock was founded in 1814 when Pembroke Dockyard was established.
26 - 29. Pembroke
Dock Fortifications -
The Defensible
Barracks is a Grade II*
listed, Victorian-era fortification and barracks built between
1841 and 1846 to house the royal dockyard's garrison of Royal Marines and to
cover the landward side of the dockyard from an infantry assault. It was
probably the last trace bastion fort built in Europe.
The gun towers, one to the west of the dockyard and the other in Front Street (1851), were commonly referred to as ‘Martello towers’. However, when they were built they were known as Cambridge Gun Towers. Construction was started in 1844 and no fewer than 12 fortifications were built along the shores of the Milford Haven Estuary.
The Royal Dockyard (1815 – 1926) built many ships including Royal Yachts. When it was closed in 1926 it remained redundant until 1930 when the RAF took it over as a seaplane base.
RAF Pembroke Dock (1930 – 1959) became the largest Flying Boat station in the world and at one point during the Second World War it was host to 99 aircraft.
Llanion Barracks. In the 1850s a hutted encampment was established on Llanion Hill. In 1904 this was replaced by four brick-built barrack blocks, designed to house a thousand troops. The new barracks, the first to be constructed with a separate area for cooking and ablutions, was one of the most modern in the country at that time.
The gun towers, one to the west of the dockyard and the other in Front Street (1851), were commonly referred to as ‘Martello towers’. However, when they were built they were known as Cambridge Gun Towers. Construction was started in 1844 and no fewer than 12 fortifications were built along the shores of the Milford Haven Estuary.
The Royal Dockyard (1815 – 1926) built many ships including Royal Yachts. When it was closed in 1926 it remained redundant until 1930 when the RAF took it over as a seaplane base.
RAF Pembroke Dock (1930 – 1959) became the largest Flying Boat station in the world and at one point during the Second World War it was host to 99 aircraft.
Llanion Barracks. In the 1850s a hutted encampment was established on Llanion Hill. In 1904 this was replaced by four brick-built barrack blocks, designed to house a thousand troops. The new barracks, the first to be constructed with a separate area for cooking and ablutions, was one of the most modern in the country at that time.
Pembroke Dock Military Cemetery is a burial ground for military personnel and is the only dedicated military cemetery in Wales.
Bush Camp, Pembroke Dock was where 102nd (Pembroke & Cardiganshire) Field Regiment, 405 (Pembroke Yeomanry) Field Battery were mobilised a few days before the outbreak of war in September 1939. It was where my father and his friends enlisted just before war was declared.
30. Upton Castle - Upton Castle is a 13th-century castle or fortified manor house with an associated chapel, located near Cosheston. It was built on land owned by the Earls of Pembroke.
31. Carew Castle - The rambling limestone ruins range from functional 12th-century fortifications to Elizabethan country house. The castle was built by Gerald de Windsor (Henry I's constable of Pembroke) and his wife, the wonderfully named Princess Nest (daughter of the Welsh king of Deheubarth), on the site of an ancient Celtic fort. It was abandoned in 1690.
Near the castle entrance is the 11th-century Carew Cross. Covered in intricate Celtic carvings and standing 4m tall, it's one of the grandest of its kind.
32. Park Camp - Park Camp is a prehistoric enclosure that is east of Whitehill, near Carew.
33. Cresswell Castle - Situated half a mile north of the village of Cresswell Quay on the banks of the River Cresswell in what is currently private land. The buildings were originally a 13th-century stone fortified manorial complex, founded by the Augustinian Priory of Haverfordwest. It is thought to date back to the thirteenth century but has seen many alterations since, particularly in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It originally had some defensive adaptations but in its later guise had a more domestic function. It seems to have been abandoned in the latter part of the seventeenth century.
34. Lawrenny Quay - Situated about half a mile from the village it played a role in the World War II as a base for Supermarine Walrus seaplanes and a training centre, known as HMS Daedalus II, operated by the Fleet Air Arm. It was operational between 1941 and 1946, being used by the Royal Navy, 1941 - 1943 and then put into a Care & Maintenance status.
30. Upton Castle - Upton Castle is a 13th-century castle or fortified manor house with an associated chapel, located near Cosheston. It was built on land owned by the Earls of Pembroke.
31. Carew Castle - The rambling limestone ruins range from functional 12th-century fortifications to Elizabethan country house. The castle was built by Gerald de Windsor (Henry I's constable of Pembroke) and his wife, the wonderfully named Princess Nest (daughter of the Welsh king of Deheubarth), on the site of an ancient Celtic fort. It was abandoned in 1690.
Near the castle entrance is the 11th-century Carew Cross. Covered in intricate Celtic carvings and standing 4m tall, it's one of the grandest of its kind.
32. Park Camp - Park Camp is a prehistoric enclosure that is east of Whitehill, near Carew.
33. Cresswell Castle - Situated half a mile north of the village of Cresswell Quay on the banks of the River Cresswell in what is currently private land. The buildings were originally a 13th-century stone fortified manorial complex, founded by the Augustinian Priory of Haverfordwest. It is thought to date back to the thirteenth century but has seen many alterations since, particularly in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It originally had some defensive adaptations but in its later guise had a more domestic function. It seems to have been abandoned in the latter part of the seventeenth century.
34. Lawrenny Quay - Situated about half a mile from the village it played a role in the World War II as a base for Supermarine Walrus seaplanes and a training centre, known as HMS Daedalus II, operated by the Fleet Air Arm. It was operational between 1941 and 1946, being used by the Royal Navy, 1941 - 1943 and then put into a Care & Maintenance status.
This is where my walk finishes hopefully with a fresh crab sandwich at the Lawrenny Quayside Tearoom.
