Thorn Island Fort
Constructed between 1852 and 1859 on a rocky islet, Thorn Island Fort was one of three such forts which formed the outer line of defences built to protect the Royal Dockyard in Pembroke Dock from seaborne attack.
Image: Thorn Island Fort with light cruisers in the background, circa 1914-18
One of the last forts in Britain built specifically to combat wooden sailing vessels, it had a barbette battery of nine 68-pdr smooth bore muzzle loading guns and held a garrison of over 100 men. The defences were never put to the test and the fort had become obsolete by the end of the 19th century. During the First World War a defence electric light (DEL) emplacement was built on the island overlooking the boom defence which ran between it and Dale Point.
Thorn Island is privately owned but the fort, may be easily viewed from the coast path.
Thorn Island as it is today
(2008)
