Barracks Platform

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on the crest of Treowen or Barrack Hill, some 300m S of, and overlooking the Royal Dockyard.

History

The superintendent engineer was Captain Farris RE, the contractor Thomas Jackson of Pimlico, work commenced 6/9/1841 and was completed 12/1/1846 to a cost of ú39,323/9/8.25d. Built to house the Royal Marines, in 1882 it become HQ of 9th Welsh Garrison Artillery Brigade. 1899 HQ Pembroke Fortress, 1914-18 HQ No 26 Pembs Fire Command, October 1914 became Siege Training School, 1926 HQ Coast Defences Welsh Ports. During World War Two 17 men were accidentally killed in a explosion. Post-1945 use for training Territorial artillery, and eventually sold to South Pembrokeshire Council as council store, and since sold again. S range rented as golf club house.One of the most unusual barrack buildings in Britain, probably the last example of a 'square bastion trace' fortification built in Europe. The form of the design dates back to C16 Italy, though Fort Worth, USA, of 1861 is later. The design was a compromise between the need to accommodate troops and the need to fortify the hill. It is doubtful whether the buildings achieved the latter adequately, as the buildings would not have resisted bombardment.

Exterior

The Barracks Platform: The scarp wall rises above the level of the platform to become a loopholed parapet wall, which is reduced in height at the salient angle of each bastion to allow for the guns mounted on the barbette platforms. The NW bastion has four gun mountings: a single smooth bore muzzle loading (SBML) gun platform, a 5-inch breech-loading (BL) Vavasseur gun mounting on the barbette platform at the salient angle, and two raised circular concrete 'C' pivot 9-inch rifled muzzle-loading (RML) mountings. The NE bastion contains four 'B' pivot SBML gun mountings and a concrete depression range finder (DRF) pillar on a raised platform against the N face. The gorge of the bastion has a brick urinal and the E face a rectangular single-storey regimental institute, rendered with hipped slate roof. The SE bastion contains three raised SBML gun platforms and a barbette at the salient angel.

The SW bastion has a large rendered workshop of c1939. The E curtain of the platform has a single SBML gun platform and shows explosion damage from World War Two. The W curtain has a 'banquette' (infantry firing step) and this wall and scarp show World War Two bomb damage.

Scheduled Ancient Monument Pe 379.