Pembrey Old Harbour

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument consists of a pier, a structure of iron or wood, open below, running out into the sea and used as a promenade and landing stage. Pembrey Harbour is a well preserved example of a harbour constructed for the South Wales coal trade during the Industrial Revolution. It includes the west pier, the quay wall inside the west side of the harbour, the scouring pond dam, and the east pier. The harbour walls are constructed of carefully laid rubble sandstone, large blocks of copper slag, and dressed stone, largely with slag infill. e scheme, but the dam appears to survive intact. Of national importance as an unaltered example of a South Wales harbour built for the coal trade early in the nineteenth century, and as a now scarce example of early copper slag construction.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of maritime organisation. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning chronology and building techniques.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.