Marloes and St Brides
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Once a village of lobster fishermen, Marloes still has close links with the sea and with the Pembrokeshire islands; boats for Skomer and Skokholm leave from nearby Martin’s Haven.
Marloes Sands, a mile from the village, is noted for the remains of the Albion paddle steamer which sank in 1840. In the churchyard at St Bride’s are buried several members of the Kensington family of nearby St Bride’s Castle. The family also owned several of the off shore islands, as well as much of Marloes village itself where the clock tower was built in 1904 in memory of the fourth Baron Kensington.
Philbeach Lane
A field to the south of this lane was the site of a World War Two anti-aircraft battery and searchlight emplacement. Just after Tree Hill Farm can be seen a rocky outcrop to the north. The derelict brick structure on this outcrop is all that remains of the control room which operated the WW2 bombing decoy on Marloes Mere.
Image: 'Temporary Brick Construction' Water Pumphouse served RAF Talbenny - Orlandon Kilns, St Bride's
Marloes Sands to Deer Park
The coast path leading north from Marloes Sands passes a World War Two anti-aircraft searchlight emplacement at Gateholm Stack (SM772 075). On a hill on the promontory of Deer Park are the remains of a coastguard look-out built in the 1930s following the Molesey disaster in Jack Sound in 1929. Used as a coast-watching post during WW2, it reverted to its original purpose after the war and continued to be used as a coastguard look-out until the late 1970s.
Musselwick
On a headland above the beach can be seen the remains of a bombing range quadrant post and range direction arrow.
Locations of Interest
- St Bride's Castle
- The imposing mansion overlooking St Bride’s Bay was built in the early part of the 18th century by William Philipps who had married Albania Laugharne, the sister and heiress of John Laugharne. Back to map
- Fopston Farm
- Between Fopston Farm and Winterton can be seen a number of concrete huts. Back to map
- Ripperston Cross
- The large brick building near the crossroads, still showing traces of camouflage paint, is one of the best preserved WW2 ‘Happidromes’ in Britain. Back to map
- Mullock Bridge
- SM 813084 Back to map
Information from: Dyfed Archaeological Trust
- TREEHILL FARM
- 1941-43, Bombing Decoy, now demolished. RJC.Thomas, 28.01.93. Back to map
- ROYAL NAVEL AIR STATION DALE
- 1943-47, Communications, Guard Room/Picket Post, present use low grade agricultural. Single storey, pre-cast, pre-fabricated BCF (British Concrete Federation) hut. Divided internally into one large and one small room. The small room contains a concret Back to map
- EAST HOOK
- Brick and concrete rubble in an area of blackthorn scrub is all that is evident of the possible observation post. B Allen 1996 Back to map
- MARTINS HAVEN
- Modern observation post still in use. B Allen 1996 Back to map
- ST.BRIDES CASTLE
- Eighteenth century mansion replacing earlier structure inslightly different location. Built by the Laugharnes, local gentry whose ancestors had helped to uphold the Parliamentary cause in west Wales during the first Civil War. MRP 2008. Back to map
- WOOLTACK POINT
- Large promontory fort with single bank and ditch defending the east neck above a scarp slope. Rees, S. 1981. Back to map
