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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

View and discuss this location in more detail on Grey Arrows.

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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St Michael the Archangel church, Salisbury (By gasbag43)

St Michael's Church in Mere, Wiltshire, is a Grade 1 listed building. It has a rich history dating back to at least the 11th century, with evidence suggesting a Saxon church existed on the site.

The church is dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel and features a striking 15th-century tower, visible for miles around. Over the centuries, the church has been expanded and modified, with significant additions and rebuilds in the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries

The church is tucked away in a quiet part of town surrounded by cottages of Mere stone. The 15th century tower looks down on a churchyard with 12 yew trees clipped in the shape of skittles and known as the 12 Apostles

The backdrop to the church in this photo shows just a small part of the miles upon miles of lush rolling Wiltshire countryside that surrounds the village with a significant number of ancient earthworks – field systems and forts dating back to the Iron Age – in close proximity making Mere a great base from which to explore the area.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.08894, -2.271037 • what3words: ///famed.pictures.auctioned

Mere Castle, Salisbury (By gasbag43)

Castle Hill, also called Mere Castle, was a medieval fortification built by Richard, the Earl of Cornwall, in 1253 on a hill overlooking the town of Mere, Wiltshire.

It is a very prominent landmark, rising up on the north edge of the town and overlooking the settlement on one side, and the downs to the north

The castle was constructed in stone, with six towers, inner buildings and gates. It was abandoned in the 14th century and stripped of its stone and metalwork. Only earthworks remain in the 21st century

The site is protected under law as a scheduled monument owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, and leased to the local parish council

The hill itself is picturesque, but the view from altitude (summit plus 120 metes) is of stunning Wiltshire landscape

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.09169, -2.27284 • what3words: ///flame.bead.napkins

Goddington Park, Bromley (By grandad1950)

aerial view of the 64 hectare Goddington park in Orpington in the London borough of Bromley. Extensive sports facilities and lovely parkland with trees

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.36705, 0.115153 • what3words: ///cages.signal.strict

Wainman’s Pinnacle, Craven (By markas)

Wainman's Pinnacle, originally built as a folly (and still used as a folly), is a stone obelisk in Sutton-in-Craven, North Yorkshire. It tends to be referred to as ‘Cowling Pinnacle’ or 'The Salt Pot' and could also be seen as being a part of the village of Cowling. It has been a grade II listed building in the National Heritage List for England since 23 October 1984. Wainman’s Pinnacle is situated upon Earl Crag and is often associated with Lund’s Tower as they are both locally known as the Salt and Pepper Pots

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 53.88236, -2.024918 • what3words: ///owned.rider.hatter

Lund’s Tower, Craven (By markas)

Lund's Tower is a stone-built folly situated to the south-west of the North Yorkshire village of Sutton-in-Craven. It is also known as Cowling Pinnacle, Sutton Pinnacle, the Ethel Tower, the Jubilee Tower or, in conjunction with the nearby Wainman's Pinnacle, the pair are referred to as the Salt and Pepper Pots.

It is listed in the National Heritage List for England at Grade II.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 53.88379, -2.013314 • what3words: ///muffin.enveloped.tornado

Westwood Manor, West Wiltshire (By gasbag43)

Westwood Manor is a 15th-century manor house in the village of Westwood, near Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire.

The manor is set within gardens featuring modern topiary and offering excellent views over the Frome Valley. Taken as a whole, the house is an outstanding example of medieval and Tudor architecture, with wonderful topiary, in an idyllic country setting.

It has been in the ownership of the National Trust since 1956 and was designated as Grade I listed in 1962.

The manor is immediately adjacent to a lovely 12th century church – St Mary the Virgin. It so close its hard to get a shot of the manor without it encroaching :)

If making the trip to the area, you can easily combine this location with flights at Iford Manor and Farleigh Hungerford castle which I posted earlier this week (both no more than 10 minutes drive away)

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.32997, -2.270844 • what3words: ///trying.insist.rinse

Monsal Head and Viaduct, Derbyshire Dales (By robsumm)

Monsal Head and Viaduct, part of the Monsal trail starting at Bakewell, this site has everything, stunning views, big bridge, a tunnel and a pub near the carpark!

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 53.24064, -1.727504 • what3words: ///chitchat.foremost.dusty

Priory Gardens, Bromley (By grandad1950)

Very pleasant ornamental park with a large lake at one end and a walled formal garden at the other. Lots of space to fly.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.38053, 0.105985 • what3words: ///gent.piano.chimp

St Bartholomew's church, North Wiltshire (By gasbag43)

St Bartholomew’s in Corsham, Wiltshire, is a beautiful Grade I listed building with a rich heritage and architecture dating from its Saxon origins through development by the Normans in the 12th, 15th, and 19th centuries (the current building dates back to the mid-12th century and is actually built onto the original Saxon foundations).

The church and its tall spire stands out in its scenic setting adjacent to Corsham Court, Corsham Park and the surrounding historic listed buildings of the town centre. It is surrounded by a large, peaceful churchyard and has featured in Poldark and other films

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.43383, -2.18231 • what3words: ///proofs.handbook.proposals

Corsham Court, North Wiltshire (By gasbag43)

Corsham Court is a country house situated in a park designed by Capability Brown. It is in the town of Corsham, 3 miles west of Chippenham, Wiltshire. It is currently the home of the present Baron Methuen, James Methuen-Campbell, the eighth generation of the Methuens to live there.

Corsham was a royal manor in the days of the Saxon kings, reputed to have been a seat of Ethelred the Unready. After William the Conqueror, the manor continued to be passed down through the generations in the royal family. It often formed part of the dower of the Queens of England during the late 14th and early 15th centuries. During the 16th century, the manor went to two of Henry VIII's wives, namely Catherine of Aragon until 1536, and Katherine Parr until 1548.

During the reign of Elizabeth I the estate passed out of the royal family; the present house was built in 1582

In 1960, the house was recorded as Grade I listed

Impressive house situated in large park incorporating a big lake

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.43501, -2.182578 • what3words: ///loaded.affair.comforted


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