Great Castle Head (St Ishmaels)

Nearest town:
Milford Haven (6km ENE)
OS reference:
SM84800602
OS sheet:
157
Latitude:
51° 42' 39.79 N
Longitude:
5° 6' 55.3 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Great Castle Head (St Ishmaels) (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Seen across Lindsway Bay from the northwest. The earthworks cutting off the end of the headland can clearly be seen.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.5.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 29, 2014
Image of Great Castle Head (St Ishmaels) (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The outer bank is so low that we had assumed it was just counterscarping for the ditch. Presumably it has been ploughed down, while the inner bank has remained relatively intact.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.5.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 29, 2014
Image of Great Castle Head (St Ishmaels) (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Looking across Dale Roads from the western end of the rampart. A further fort, at Dale Point, is visible from here.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.5.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 29, 2014
Image of Great Castle Head (St Ishmaels) (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The western end of the rampart is far less overgrown, but also far more damaged by erosion due to exposure. There are some advantages to brambles.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.5.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 29, 2014
Image of Great Castle Head (St Ishmaels) (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The overgrown interior of the fort. We had a date with a tide timetable and no machetes, so we didn’t get further in than this.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.5.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 29, 2014
Image of Great Castle Head (St Ishmaels) (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Looking east along the overgrown inner bank, showing the positions of the other two intervisible cliff forts guarding the access to Sandy Haven.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.5.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 29, 2014
Image of Great Castle Head (St Ishmaels) (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The 150m long rampart is best preserved at its eastern end, but unfortunately is also very heavily overgrown.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.5.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 29, 2014
Image of Great Castle Head (St Ishmaels) (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The hump of the inner bank stands prominently, right of centre.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.5.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 29, 2014
Image of Great Castle Head (St Ishmaels) (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The prominent headland site seen from the neighbouring Little Castle Head fort to the NE.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.5.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 29, 2014

Articles

Link

Great Castle Head (St Ishmaels)
Cliff Fort
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jun 29, 2014
Coflein

Description of the site with some great aerial photos.

Great Castle Head is on a cliff-girt headland, roughly 160m north-south by up to 260m. It is divided from the mainland to the north by a line of two ramparts with a medial ditch, some 150m in length. Recent structures within this area include defence installations, a lighthouse and a possible folly.

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