Corse Bridge and attached Walled Channel

Cadw's description

Location

At the point where the Angle to Castlemartin road crosses the community boundary.

Exterior

History: In 1788 the landowner John Campbell, of Stackpole Court, obtained an Act for the drainage and enclosure of Castlemartin Corse. The scheme included a channel to carry the drain through the sandbanks and into a culvert to the sea and an adjacent bridge for the Angle to Castlemartin road. These works were carried out first. The scheme was then completed by John Mirehouse of Brownslade, who took a tenancy of the 274 acres of land to be improved and undertook the drainage work. He was awarded the Gold Medal of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Science and Commerce in 1800.

Campbell's bridge is segmental, approximately 7m span by 3m wide, in mortared rubble masonry with deep thin voussoirs. The parapets are about 1m high with large coping stones and have curved approach wings. Below the bridge is a 25m long open drainage channel through the dunes 2m wide with a path on each side, all between retaining walls. The drain enters a culvert at the base of a high retaining cross wall, leading to the sea.

These structures are the start of an interesting early example of agricultural improvement works, carried out by John Campbell, later created Lord Cawdor, and his tenant John Mirehouse of Brownslade.

References: Lewis, Topographical Dictionary (1842)
RCAHM notes 1976
Howells ed., Pembrokeshire County History III (1987) 313
Dyfed Arch. Trust: S&M PRN 4675