South Hook Fort

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

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

The monument comprises a fort built 1859-1865 to defend the inner part of Milford Haven against the threat of French invasion under Napoleon III. Located on broad promontory on the north side of the Haven it consists of two widely separated parts, a battery for 20 guns overlooking the Haven and a D-plan defensible barracks on higher ground to the north. The battery was built 1859-61, the barracks, dated 1863, were not completed until 1865. The barrack block providing quarters for 180 officers and men comprises a two storey broad, curved rock-faced limestone building the inner wall of which is fronted by a 15-bay arcade fronting fireproof vaults. The ends of the block project as bastions to cover a linking rear cross range which held a hospital and other facilities. The main entrance located on the north has flaring protective walls that run out each side to a surrounding defensible ditch crossed by a drawbridge. Opposite the entrance the embankment is stone faced in a zigzag of six faces which contain musketry galleries. The battery is in two parts linked by a covered way, it was armed in 1867-71 with 20 nine-inch and seven-inch rifled muzzle loading guns. The west battery was altered in the 1890s to take a 9.2 inch breech-loading gun and three twelve-pounder guns, the east battery was then abandoned, the west battery was disarmed in the 1930s. Within the scheduled area there are other small batteries and military structures dating from 1904-1918 and 1940-1945. The barrack block building is also Grade II* listed.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of 19th century military organisation. The monument forms an important element within the wider context of the military history of Wales and the structures may contain well preserved archaeological evidence concerning chronology, layout and building techniques.

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