High Pennard

Nearest town:
Swansea (11km NE)
OS reference:
SS56778662
OS sheet:
159
Latitude:
51° 33' 35 N
Longitude:
4° 3' 59.24 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of High Pennard (Promontory Fort) by thesweetcheat

Looking towards the western cliffs of the fort, from the limestone foreshore below Deep Slade.

Image credit: A. Brookes (30.5.2016)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 15, 2016
Image of High Pennard (Promontory Fort) by thesweetcheat

The view westwards towards Oxwich Bay and the cave-riddled East Cliff.

Image credit: A. Brookes (30.5.2016)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 15, 2016
Image of High Pennard (Promontory Fort) by thesweetcheat

The fort is divided into two by a natural cliff in the limestone. The part of the interior on the west of the cliff is lower than the rest of the site.

Image credit: A. Brookes (30.5.2016)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 15, 2016
Image of High Pennard (Promontory Fort) by thesweetcheat

Looking over the southeastern cliffs that provide natural defence.

Image credit: A. Brookes (30.5.2016)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 15, 2016
Image of High Pennard (Promontory Fort) by thesweetcheat

This year’s growth of bracken and gorse starts to claim the ramparts.

Image credit: A. Brookes (30.5.2016)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 15, 2016
Image of High Pennard (Promontory Fort) by thesweetcheat

The fort occupies the headland straight ahead. Beyond is East Cliff with its caves and Oxwich Bay.

Image credit: A. Brookes (30.5.2016)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 15, 2016
Image of High Pennard (Promontory Fort) by GLADMAN

Despite a couple of millennia of all the Gower coastal storms can throw at them... which is quite a lot, judging by our experience.... the Mam C shows that the defences of High Pennard cliff fort remain pretty decent. Well worth a visit.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Mar 11, 2014
Image of High Pennard (Promontory Fort) by GLADMAN

Western flank from one of the cross banks... unfortunately can’t remember which.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Mar 11, 2014
Image of High Pennard (Promontory Fort) by GLADMAN

The impregnable western flank, toward Southgate.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Mar 7, 2014
Image of High Pennard (Promontory Fort) by GLADMAN

I always find it somewhat humbling to think that folk actually used to occupy places like this.... call them ‘home’.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Mar 7, 2014
Image of High Pennard (Promontory Fort) by GLADMAN

Quite substantial defences, to be fair.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Mar 7, 2014
Image of High Pennard (Promontory Fort) by GLADMAN

The ‘fort occupies the vertigo-inducing cliff top... seen from Pwlldu Head to the approx SE.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Mar 7, 2014
Image of High Pennard (Promontory Fort) by GLADMAN

High Pennard... a suitable location for a cliff-fort. Viewed approaching from Hunts Farm to the NW (apologies – as usual – for the lens splodge).

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Mar 7, 2014
Image of High Pennard (Promontory Fort) by thesweetcheat

The landscape setting of the cliff fort (far right, on the clifftop). Looking west towards Oxwich Point. The hill on the right skyline is Cefn Bryn, location of numerous cairns and the wonderful Maen Ceti tomb.

Image credit: A. Brookes (16.2.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Feb 17, 2013

Articles

High Pennard

C
CARL Oct 15, 2013

Visited 11.10.13

Directions:
See directions for Caswell Cliff Fort.
Continue west along the coastal path, past the picturesque Brandy Cove, the large pebble beach off Pwlldu Bay and up onto Pwlldu Head. It took me about 1 hour to walk from Caswell Bay to the fort.

This stretch of coastal path is wonderful with a varied landscape and obvious fantastic coastal views. You do need to take care however, as sections of the path are very close to the edge of the cliff and you are no more than a step away from a ‘half day out with the undertaker’ – as the late great Fred Dibnah used to say.

Pwlldu Head can be seen from a fair distance away as it is the highest point along this part of the coast. Although the path up to it isn’t overly demanding. On the way you pass what looks to be an old lime kiln. I startled a young fox that was enjoying the sunshine on the path between the gorse.

The centre of the fort is now a roughly oval field. Along the northern side of the field, under the hedgerow is a small earthen/stone bank.
Are these part of the remains of the northern defences?

I would recommend a visit for the walk and coastal views but not for much of the archaeology remains.

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