Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
The Watch Tower
Penally, Pembrokeshire, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Maritime
- Date of designation
- 26 April 1996
- Locality
- Four Winds Lane
- Community
- Penally
- Unitary authority
- Pembrokeshire
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.66736, -4.71640
- Cadw reference
- 16916
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
On the summit of the Black Rock promontory overlooking the Ritec. The view from the tower is now obscured by trees.
History
Fenton (1810) refers to the many theories about the purpose of this old tower. Comparison with the very similar Irish round towers is ruled out as the latter were never built, as this evidently was, in isolation. It is more likely that the purpose of this tower relates to the fact that it was built at a time long before the Ritec ceased to be a large open navigable estuary; it may have been a lookout tower or intended to assist shipping as a landmark or a signalling tower. It may also be significant that there was a mediaeval watch tower on Caldey, at a distance of 3.5 km, with a line of view to the Penally tower. In the late C19 Edward Laws restored the Penally tower, to an unknown extent, using old stone taken from ruins in Tenby.
Exterior
A small tower, slightly tapering in shape. It is 3.5 m diameter at its base and survives to a height of about 6 m. Rubble masonry. Fenton describes the foundation as a 'factitious cake of lime and sand'. The tower is of two storeys, with an entrance at the NW side with a re-used pointed arch. A slit window faces the sea.
Ancient Monument no. Pe 439
Reason for designation
Listed as an old landmark, lookout or signalling tower for shipping before the reclamation of the Ritec estuary.
Nearby in the register
- The WatchtowerBeaconunder 1 mi
- East Set of KilnsIndustrialunder 1 mi
- Black Rock Quarry Lime KilnsKilnunder 1 mi
- West Set of KilnsIndustrialunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.