# Stack Fort Pembrokeshire. May 08



## silverstealth

Stack Rock Fort 

Super sweet explore requires boat access, 20 minute trip on a rib at breakneck speeds  Original marttello fort in the centre. lots off cannons in the casemates however they have been decommisioned by cutting in half.


Commenced 18 July 1859 Completed 31 December 1871 
Cost £96,840 
Constructed on Stack Rocks 800yds from South Hook, and 1,500 yds from Chapel Bay 
Type – Sea Fort 
Guns 23 
Barrack Accommodation - 5 Officers 175 men 

ARMAMENT 
1871 – 1895 
16 X 10 inch RML 
7 X 9 inch RML 
1895 5 x 10 inch RML 
7 x 9 inch RML 
2 x 6pdr QF 
1904 – 1907 3 x 10 inch RML 
1902 4 x 12pdr QF 
1917-19 2 x 12pdr QF 
1929 Disarmed 

Technical History 
A work on Stack Rock went back to the initial proposals for the defence of the Haven made by Colonel Bryce in 1817. General Burgoyne reiterated the need for a work there and in the mid 1850s a three gun tower was built; it is not generally appreciated that this tower still remains, as it was enveloped by the casemated work that was built in the 1860s. The tower had a basement for stores and the magazine, at ground floor level was the main gun battery. Above it was the first floor with accommodation for a garrison of an officer and 30 men; above the first floor was the roof which may have had an earthen bomb proof covering that was removed at a later date. After the casemated work had been built the tower was adapted for other uses though the first floor remained as accommodation for officers. 

The Fort as shown today, was originally to be a circular casemated one for 45 guns, with two tiers of casemated guns and a third tier on the roof firing through embrasures men; there was to be barrack accommodation for 250 men. This fort completely enclosed the older gun tower. The ground floor had the entrance and the casemated battery covering the Haven where 16 x 10 inch RML guns were mounted behind armoured shields. In the gorge at the rear at the entrance were three 9 inch RML guns; underneath the casemated battery were the magazines and stores. Above the gun casemates at first floor level were the casemated barracks for 5 officers and 175 men that faced inwards, again in the gorge was a casemated battery for 4 x 9 inch RMLs. There were to be, on the roof of the casemates, three turrets mounting two 25 ton guns in each, but like the Solent Forts in Portsmouth, these were never built. 

With the improvement in range and accuracy of artillery by the 1880s the Fort was considered weak and the magazines insecure.; it was proposed to remove eleven of the 10 inch RMLs and all the 9 inch RMLs so that the Fort could be strengthened. By 1895 onlt 5 x 10 inch RMLs remained in the casemated battery although the 9 inch RMLs remained in the gorge. Also by this date, the Fort had acquired two 6pdr QF guns to cover a nearby minefield. In the basement, most of the old magazines were filled with concrete and those that were not adapted for other uses. A number of the armoured shields were removed from unused casemates and sent to the casemated battery at Hubberstone Fort. Three 10 inch RML barrels remain on the fort but are partially dismantled. 

In 1902 positions for 4, 12pdr QF guns in two groups were built on the roof of the casemates with positions for four maxim guns. In the meantime, all the 9 inch RMLs had been withdrawn and two of the 10 inch RMLs, these latter ones were replaced by two searchlights. The remaining three 10 inch guns were retained as ‘run past’ guns until 1907/8. 

During WW1 two of the 12pdr QF were withdrawn; by 1929 the searchlights and the remaining two 12pdr QF were removed and the Fort was sold in 1932 for £60. In many ways the Fort is the most interesting of the Haven’s defences though sadly the most inaccessible. 







Aerial View






Basement






Casement Level






Top Level






Smoking Gun






Matello Tower











Powder Store






Officers Barracks
















Issue Hatch






Case mates











Engine Room






From the ledge outside.






The ledge, suicidal shot.






The Drying Room






One Of The kitchens.






Casemate






Twelve and a half tonner






Basement













Original photo from 1870





















More images at http://www.silverstealth.co.uk


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## boxerheaven

wow that place looks really good love the old photo


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## dangerous dave

i have been reccying this place for ages trying to sort a boat out for this. its nice to see it has been done at last if you are planning a trip back any chance of a lift


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## Urban Mole

That place look amazing, excellent work matey, top post.

Damn you for having access to a boat tho, there are a few things near me I need a boat for


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## mr_bones

Wow, amazing stuff - i really like the look of it.


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## Bryag

What a fantastic place, and a great report too. I would love to see one of these sea forts. Their inaccessibility means they generally do not get chavved up.

Is it maintained by the national trust or just left alone. It looks like nature is taking a hold, which can be a good thing in many ways, but I would hate to see a place as good as this destroyed by vegetation, and it will happen if nature is left to it's own devices.

Thanks for posting


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## Neosea

Nice one! Thanks for the photo's


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## Foxylady

Another superb report of a great fort in Haven. Is this owned by the Port Authority?
Cheers


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## BRIXMIS

dangerous dave said:


> i have been reccying this place for ages trying to sort a boat out for this. its nice to see it has been done at last if you are planning a trip back any chance of a lift



I would be up for a visit out to the fort as well, maybe if theres a few of us we could rent a boat, I understand the tides etc are at bit of a nightmare so we may need a local to do the business.

Theres another sea fort locally, I seem to remember it was called "Rat Island" for obvious reasons  I dont know who owns it it was a Hotel I think?

Brixmis


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## silverstealth

Foxylady said:


> Another superb report of a great fort in Haven. Is this owned by the Port Authority?
> Cheers



No this one is in private ownership..


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## plumby101

*ownership*

hi, i live in Pembrokeshire and have been out to the Fort a few times ad wandered round. do you know what the latest is with the Forts ownership, the last i heard it was for sale for £150,00 about a year ago...?


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## Exploretime

Dont know who owns it currently, but heres the BBC article for when it went on sale:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4622081.stm


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## plumby101

I'd love to know what the plans are for it. Its got so much potential.


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## sam1990

There is a place like that in Portland Harbour, called Portland Breakwater Fort


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## DigitalNoise

I hadnt noticed this thread before, what a gem! That's reminded me to dust the RIB off for this summer!


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## Landsker

I wouldnt rush to get on there at the moment. Safe haven protesters have a 24 hour presence on the fort and are looking to take out a lease on the fort to protest against the LNG terminals. could be out of bounds for a while!


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## prendy79

fantastic looking place, lovin' the arched brickwork ceilings, great explore, well done.




just noticed this was posted in 2008..............and i'd never seen it before.


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## LittleMadam

Totally missed this too, but my jaw just dropped. Thanks for the history, thanks for those amazing pictures! Love the way the lighting falls in the basement.

Tam xxx


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## chizyramone

walsh said:


> I wouldnt rush to get on there at the moment. Safe haven protesters have a 24 hour presence on the fort and are looking to take out a lease on the fort to protest against the LNG terminals. could be out of bounds for a while!



Hey walsh, what about _joining_ SafeHaven, then volunteer your services on the fort and shake your fist at those nasty LNG tankers chugging up the Haven? 

The frequency of the tankers coming in would mean you would have loads of time to have a shufty about the place,get some cracking pictures and make me seriously wish I had got my sh*t together years ago and get out to the rock before all this publicity around LNG etc!


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## Landsker

well if i joined it would give me a reason for going on the fort, but I would have to fit it in on my days off from working at texaco!!


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## Ebenezer

Brixmis, I believe you're thinking of Thorn Island (a sort of hotel off West Angle) - close enough in for a telephone/electrical wire to cross the water to it.

I've been to Rat Island (a lump of land on the south side of the Angle peninsula): just a crag is all, no defences, very dangerous to get onto.


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