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Tenby Castle added to Historic Buildings in Wales by clinkadink on 29/09/2023

Parking: 51.671225, -4.703398
TOAL: 51.672866, -4.695374

High on a hill above Tenby harbour stand the remains of 13th century castle walls along with a ruined gate and tower. The first castle here was built by an unknown Norman lord sometime before 1153, when it was captured by the Welsh under Lord Rhys. That first castle was defended by earthen banks and ditches. It may stand on the site of a yet earlier castle founded by the Welsh in the 9th century.
The castle was built on a promontory joined to the mainland by a narrow neck of land, and linked to the medieval town walls. The most prominent features of the castle are the D-shaped gatehouse, with barbican defences, and the stump of a stone keep with a stair turret.

The castle defences were strengthened in 1377, but just 9 years later an enquiry found the fortress suffering from neglect, with work needed on the roof timber and leading. It seems efforts to maintain the castle were sporadic at best.

During the Civil War the castle was held by a band of Royalist soldiers for 10 weeks. The Royalists were starved into submission by Parliament.

In 1832 one of the medieval residential buildings beside the gatehouse was transformed into a National School. The building was enlarged a decade later, but closed in 1874. In 1878 the school building was altered once more to serve as the Tenby Museum and Art Gallery. The museum boasts displays on the archaeology, geology, maritime, and natural history of the Tenby area, plus local art and exhibits relating to the Castlemartin (Pembrokeshire) Yeomanry.

In 1865 the space within the castle was drastically altered when an imposing statue of Prince Albert was added at its highest point. Prince Arthur, eldest son of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, unveiled the statue on 2 August 1865. Just beyond the statue is the Watchtower, built in the 13th century. This consists of a round tower linked to a later staircase tower. It was used by the Admiralty for many years but is now home to a Met Office weather station.

The castle remains include the smallest 'great tower' of any castle in Wales, and may have been inspired by the great tower at Pembroke Castle. Only small sections of the castle walls remain intact. On the north side is a small stretch of wall with medieval arrow slits and a section of the wall walk. You approach the castle through a very simple gate through the curtain wall, defended by a small barbican, leading to the museum.

Also on Castle Hill is The Old Coastguard House, built in the early 19th century as a coastguard station. There are also several old cannons on Castle Hill. These originally formed part of the town defences. They were restored and remounted in the 1960s by the Royal Regiment of Artillery and the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers from the School of Artillery at Manorbier.

From the late 18th century Castle Hill was a fashionable area for Tenby natives and visitors to promenade and take the views. From 1897 they could also listen to open-air concerts from the Bandstand. The original bandstand was dismantled so its metal could be used for the WWII war effort. It was restored in 1991.

THE TOWN WALLS
Tenby's medieval walls are very well preserved, and indeed may be considered of greater historical interest than the rather scanty castle ruins.

Tenby was sacked by Rhys's son Maelgwyn in 1187, and again by Llewelyn ap Gruffudd in 1260. To add an extra measure of defence the extensive town walls were built by the Norman lord William de Valence. The walls served their purpose, saving Tenby from an attack by Owain Glyndwr's French allies in 1405.

In 1873 the town council wanted to pull down the medieval walls, but were prevented by the efforts of a certain Dr Chater. As a result, we can get a good idea of what most Welsh medieval town walls would have looked like (leaving aside the very grand and extensive walls at major centres like Caernarfon and Conwy).

Castle Hill is very easy to reach from the harbour and is well signposted from around the town. There is no parking on the site, but there are several pay and display parking areas near the harbour.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenby_Castle

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Co-ordinates: 51.67255, -4.694564 • what3words: ///hems.rationing.centuries
The originator declared that this location was not inside a Flight Restriction Zone at the time of being flown on 06/08/2023. It remains the responsibility of any pilot to check for any changes before flying at the same location. Landowner permission may be required before taking off.

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Woodroad Viaduct, Cumnock Rural (By JoeC)

The Woodroad Viaduct over the Lugar Water.

The viaduct stands above the town of Cumnock and is used by trains between Kilmarnock and Dumfries. At its peak it stands almost 50m tall and has a length of almost 230m with 14 arches.

There’s an open space at the viaduct where visitors to the Woodroad Park Community Woodland can park which was also good for TOAL.

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Co-ordinates: 55.45856, -4.256709 • what3words: ///erupt.unstated.emblem
Seaford Salts, Lewes (By grandad1950)

Right on the coast at seaford East Sussex is a large recreation ground and rugby club. Good for views along the coast and over the town. Lots of room to fly if there is no rugby match on

First flight with my air 3 S

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Co-ordinates: 50.77333, 0.095323 • what3words: ///bangle.breeding.beads
Newport Cathedral, Newport (By gasbag43)

Sitting up on Stow Hill, Newport Cathedral (also known as the Cathedral Church of St Woolos) is a fascinating patchwork of history. It all started with a simple wooden church, put up in the 5th century by Welsh King Gwynllyw, and the place has kept growing and changing ever since.


While it is the size of a large parish church rather than a typical cathedral, its history and development from the sixth to the twentieth century make it one of the most interesting religious buildings in Wales


As you can see from the photos, the building’s unique linear layout reflects its staggered evolution. The fifteenth-century tower dominates the foreground of the first image; it was reportedly funded by Jasper Tudor and still features his (now headless) statue.


Moving toward the centre of the structure, the St Mary’s Chapel sits on the site of the original Saxon church, serving as a bridge between the tower and the main body.

The elongated Norman nave, clearly visible with its distinct roofline, was constructed in the 12th century and remains one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Wales.

Originally a parish church, it was elevated to cathedral status in 1949. The modern, pale-stoned East End (visible at the far top of the first photo) was added in the 1960s, completing a sacred timeline that spans over 1,500 years.

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Co-ordinates: 51.58304, -2.998593 • what3words: ///grand.home.sheep
Tredegar House, Newport (By gasbag43)

Tredegar House is a major 17th-century mansion in Britain, serving as the ancestral home of the Morgan family (later Lords Tredegar) for over 500 years. The Morgans amassed vast wealth through landownership and their influential role in the South Wales industrial revolution.

Surrounded by restored formal gardens, the estate features the colourful Orchard Garden and intricate parterre, reflecting the family’s desire to showcase their status. The grounds stretch to a 90-acre parkland, once a private estate, now public.

The Morgans’ influence declined in the 20th century, and the National Trust now manages the site, preserving its legacy as a symbol of Welsh aristocracy and architectural ambition.

Key Features in the photos
• The “embroidery” style parterres, designed for viewing from the house, display symmetry and colour.
• The Orangery and Stables were vital for estate life, housing horses and exotic plants.
• The gardens transition to open parkland, reflecting 18th-century landscaping trends.

At their height, the Morgans owned over 40,000 acres, and their proximity to South Wales’ industrial centres drove their shift from farming to coal and iron.

It's a National Trust property, so usual restrictions on TOAL from within the area are in place.

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Co-ordinates: 51.56145, -3.028074 • what3words: ///gave.modest.vets
St Marys Tarring Neville, Lewes (By grandad1950)

St Marys parish church in Tarring Neville East Sussex is a grade 1 listed building dating from the 13th Century. Surrounded by farmland and good views of the south downs. The church is not used very often.

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Co-ordinates: 50.81561, 0.048678 • what3words: ///publisher.croaking.necks
Aldbury Church, St John the Baptist, Dacorum (By 7coloursummer)

Quiet spot just to the side of the near by foot path made for an excellent take off and landing point. Quiet village also meant I wasn't disturbing anyone with this capture.

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Co-ordinates: 51.80256, -0.60399 • what3words: ///cork.sofa.caravans
Old Beaupre Castle, Vale of Glamorgan (By gasbag43)

These aerial photos capture Old Beaupre Castle, located near Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan. Despite its name, what you see isn't actually a military fortress, but a magnificent Elizabethan manor house built upon the foundations of a medieval predecessor.

The images highlight the dramatic contrast between the functional and the decorative. The most significant feature visible is the three-story inner gatehouse, an Italianate Renaissance masterpiece completed in 1600 by Richard Bassett. Notice the intricate carved columns—representing the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders—which stand in stark defiance of the surrounding rugged, roofless ruins.

Key Historical Features
• The Medieval Core: The L-shaped block at the rear dates back to the 14th century.
• Tudor Transformation: The 16th-century expansion turned it into a high-status residence.
• The Outer Gatehouse: Seen in the foreground of the first photo, this 1580 addition signalled the family's immense wealth and social ambition.

The photos emphasise the isolated, rural setting that allowed the Bassetts to display their architectural sophistication. Today, maintained by CADW, the site remains a hauntingly beautiful skeleton of Welsh gentrified life.

Parking is a 10 minute walk away (small lay-by with space for only 2 cars). TOAL point is on the footpath between the parking POI and the castle – flying from the parking side of the castle is fine, but be careful if you overfly the castle or try to shoot it from the other side as you will have strayed into the St Athan FRZ and ATZ which start immediately the other side of the castle

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Co-ordinates: 51.4388, -3.427359 • what3words: ///mountain.skippers.restless
Flood Plain of the River Soar, Charnwood (By bryand)

Grid Ref: SK577164
This section of the River Soar floods every year, and this year's floods were quite spectacular. By the time these were taken, the floods had receded so local roads had re-opened but they give a good idea of the extent of the inundation.
The area is popular in summer when the waterway is cleaner and the banks greener.
Many access points for TOAL: I used a lane off the A6.

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Co-ordinates: 52.7413, -1.144221 • what3words: ///unveils.ratty.headlight
The Dirty Duck, Woolsthorpe on the Grantham Canal, South Kesteven (By bryand)

Grid Ref: SK843361
The Dirty Duck pub is one of the more interesting features on the navigable section of the Grantham Canal, next to a flight of three locks. Easy to get to and to park. Also not far from Belvoir Castle.
No flight restrictions other than the generic Lincolnshire training area.

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Co-ordinates: 52.90712, -0.747409 • what3words: ///cheetahs.sprawls.limitless
Caerau Hillfort and the ruins of St Mary’s Church, Cardiff (By gasbag43)

Perched atop a commanding ridge in western Cardiff, the Caerau Hillfort and the ruins of St Mary’s Church represent over 5,000 years of continuous human history.

The hillfort is one of the largest and most significant Iron Age sites in South Wales, originally a stronghold of the Silures tribe. The overall site covers an area over 5 hectares – larger than 4 full size football pitches. Its multiple ramparts and ditches, clearly legible in the aerial photographs, enclose a strategic plateau overlooking the Ely Valley. The sweeping curves of earthworks visible from above reveal successive phases of construction, reflecting the site’s long occupation and defensive importance within pre-Roman tribal territories

At the hillfort’s heart lie the roofless ruins of St Mary’s Church, founded in the 13th century and abandoned after the medieval period. Though it was restored in the 1960s, it fell victim to severe vandalism and was deconsecrated in the 1970s.The images show the church isolated within its oval churchyard, itself set inside the prehistoric enclosure—an explicit layering of sacred and defensive landscapes. Together, the photographs emphasise how medieval Christian worship appropriated an ancient stronghold, illustrating over two millennia of adaptation and reuse within Cardiff’s historic landscape.

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Co-ordinates: 51.46731, -3.248114 • what3words: ///grab.useful.tribune

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