The Stackpole Estate
At its zenith in the 19th century Stackpole Estate was a 7,000 ha coastal estate, developed by the Cawdor family, which stretched for over 15kms from Freshwater East to Freshwater West. Its centre was Stackpole Court, the site of which lies 8kms south west of Pembroke town in the far south western corner of Wales. The 20th century saw the gradual decline of the estate, until it was finally sold by the Cawdors in 1976 with the 800ha historic core being passed to the National Trust through National Land Fund procedures.
Setting and Historical Development
The Stackpole Estate straddles the transition zone between the carboniferous limestone and the old red sandstone. This geological mix provides fascinating natural scenery and has helped create beautiful sandy beaches and coves, along with sheltered harbours and freshwater streams. Mankind has taken advantage of these natural assets from the earliest of times. Evidence shows that Stackpole has been occupied since the Mesolithic Age, with human settlement continuing through the Iron Age, Romano British and medieval periods. This occupation has resulted in a man-made landscape, recognised by the inclusion of Stackpole Warren on the Register of Landscapes of Special Historic Interest in Wales; the Estate is of national significance both archaeologically and for nature conservation.
The estate passed in an unbroken line through several families from the 14th century onwards. Acquired through marriage by the Campbell’s of Cawdor in 1689 the estate was transformed by two main phases of landscape design.
Between 1735 and 1758 John Campbell built a new house - Stackpole Court, constructed terraces and walled enclosures, erected garden buildings, planted groves and introduced a ‘wilderness’ into Lodge Park.
When you are out, experiencing the nature of Pembrokeshire,
PLEASE follow the Countryside Code
Highlights
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Bosherston Lakes
- The Bosherston Lakes on the Stackpole Estate were created by the Earls of Cawdor between 1780 and 1860. The lakes occupy three converging valleys carved by glacial meltwater out of the carboniferous limestone plateau of south-west Pembrokeshire.
