Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Leading light
St. Ishmael's, Pembrokeshire, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Communications
- Date of designation
- 25 August 1998
- Locality
- Saint Ishmaels
- Town
- Haverfordwest
- Community
- St. Ishmael's
- Unitary authority
- Pembrokeshire
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.71129, -5.11769
- Cadw reference
- 20355
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
Situated on cliff-top at Great Castle Head some 1.5 km SSW of Sandy Haven, reached by long drive from Sandy Haven- St Ishmaels road.
History
Tower built 1870 containing leading-light for navigation into Milford Haven, with two attached cottages. The leading light was a signal light that when lined up with a back-light some 50m behind gave the correct course. It was built by Messrs James & John, contractors, for Trinity House, and the cottages were flat-roofed for water-collection. The keeper lived in one, the assistant keeper in the other, now one house.
Exterior
Leading-light tower with two cottages attached, now one house. Whitewashed stucco. Short front tower facing SW with heavy 2-step cornice and parapet, the parapet cut-down in front centre. Blocked opening in front wall. Single storey U-plan block behind with black-painted broad cornice-band and low blocking course. 2-window range each side of tower, 4-window sides. C20 plastic windows, some as secondary glazing in front of original 4-pane sashes, of which 2 survive on W side. Rear has 2 wings, 2-window to left, 3-window to right and door to each cottage in inward-facing walls. Flat roof has 2-chimneys to E and 3 to W.
Reason for designation
A navigational structure of considerable rarity, part of the modernisation of the nationally-important Haven for naval purposes in the later C19.
Nearby in the register
- Promontory Fort on Great Castle HeadPromontory Fort - coastalunder 1 mi
- Promontory Fort on Little Castle HeadPromontory Fort- coastalunder 1 mi
- Lime Burner's Hut at Sandy HavenCommercialunder 1 mi
- Lime Kiln at Sandy HavenCommercial1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.