Fishguard Fort

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on Castle Point, reached by footpath from car park at top of hill N of Lower Town.

History

Ruins of a coastal battery built in 1781 in response to the attack on Fishguard in 1779 by the commandeered vessel Black Prince under the American captain Stephen Manhant with a crew escaped from Dublin gaol. A proposal in 1780 for a battery with 8 9-pound cannon was reluctanctly approved by the Privy Council if the town would pay for the construction and for the gunpowder. The costs were met by the lord-lieutenant Sir Hugh Owen and guns installed by 1785. The fort comprised a gunnery platform with rock-cut ditch in front, a 12' (3.66m) wall across the rear and a magazine and guard-room (presumably not in the same building). It had no water supply. In 1794 the conflict with France prompted the mission of 3 invalid artillerymen to instruct volunteers in the use of the guns. There was however no ammunition and hardly any gunpowder, when the French ships arrived on 22.2.1797. Blanks were fired to save the 3 rounds held in the armoury, enough to deter the ships, which landed the force instead at Carreg Wastad. Lt-Col Knox left 30 men at the fort the next day with instructions to spike the guns and dump the ammunition, while he retreated to Haverfordwest, but they too abandoned the fort which took no part in the rest of the action. After the French surrender on 24.2.1797, the fort remained manned by the invalids until 1802. There were still 5 guns there in 1805 but there is no further mention of the fort as a defensive installation thereafter.

Exterior

Gun-battery and storehouse. Originally almost fan-shaped in plan with curving battery above rock-cut ditch, partly walled in rubble stone. Remains of south-east wall retains a square-headed entry with stone voussoirs on both sides, those on inside set higher. A large portion of the S wall remains returned at W end to apparent remnant of a fireplace
The storehouse remains, rubble stone with low roof of stepped cemented stones, with door and timber lintel in end wall.

Interior

Storehouse has brick vaulted roof, two chambers within divided by a stone wall with timber lintel to door.

Reason for designation

Included as a rare example of an C18 coastal battery, of historical importance.
Scheduled Ancient Monument PE096.