Sea Walls and Towers at St Donats Castle

Cadw's description

Location

Built across the mouth of the cwm about 500m south of St Donats Castle.

History

This structure is thought to be of late C16 origin, probably from the time of Sir Edward Stradling (1571-1609) who was much involved with the suppression of piracy in the Bristol Channel in the 1580s. What remains visible from this period is perhaps the outer wall, but most of the surviving masonry is probably later C19 and done in Dr. J Nicholl-Carne's time (1862-1901). The towers and castellations were probably added for Randolph Hearst in the 1920s (see first editions of OS 25" scale maps, a photograph shows the wall without them in 1901). The concrete slipways are a late C20 alteration.

Exterior

The outer sea embankment wall has its south-east side faced with courses of blue lias stone, but the parapet and the deck of the embankment wall are now covered with concrete. Breached by a slipway.
The top of the inner south-west side of the sea embankment is bounded by a wall of probably the later C19 to early C20, again breached by a slipway. This wall also encloses the ground on the south-east of the Cavalry Barracks (qv). Local lias limestone wall battered on the seaward face with a castellated parapet probably added later. At either end it incorporates a square 2-storey stone tower, with castellated parapet on corbels, probably early C20. Each tower has a 4-centred arch window opening in each direction on the upper floor and a pointed arch doorway flanked by lancets onto the slipways.

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest and group value as a part of St. Donat's Castle and its associated gardens.