Hidden Pembrokeshire - Gareth Davies Photography

Hidden Pembrokeshire - Gareth Davies Photography HIDDEN PEMBROKESHIRE - Rediscovering the forgotten parts of our wonderful county.

A totally random collection of the places I visit all around the world, with a bit of exploring, adventure & history thrown in for good measure, rediscovering reminders of the past πŸ“·β€οΈπŸ˜ŠπŸ΄σ §σ ’σ ·σ ¬σ ³σ Ώ

Where was I ? πŸ€”Spotted this pair deep in conversation about one of life’s biggest questions… Where is the next banana co...
19/06/2026

Where was I ? πŸ€”

Spotted this pair deep in conversation about one of life’s biggest questions… Where is the next banana coming from 🍌πŸ€ͺ🀣

Before anyone starts tagging me, I’d just like to point out that I am definitely not the one on the left. The resemblance is purely coincidental.

They seemed perfectly at home enjoying the sunshine in a quiet little coastal spot where the sea is never far away and everybody probably knows everybody else.

Any guesses where this was taken ? πŸ“·πŸ‘πŸ˜ŠπŸ΄σ §σ ’σ ·σ ¬σ ³σ Ώ

A wonderful little trek along the Coast Path from Hazelbeach to Venn Farm and back. While it may not be the most dramat...
19/06/2026

A wonderful little trek along the Coast Path from Hazelbeach to Venn Farm and back. While it may not be the most dramatic or scenic stretch of Pembrokeshire's coastline, it more than makes up for it with its fascinating history and hidden points of interest.

From old navigation beacons that once guided vessels through the Haven to a WWII gun recovered from a Polish trawler used in the laying of anti submarine nets, there's plenty along the route to capture both the imagination and the camera lens.

A thoroughly enjoyable walk packed with maritime heritage, coastal charm, and lots to discover along the way πŸ“·πŸ‘πŸ˜ŠπŸ΄σ §σ ’σ ·σ ¬σ ³σ Ώ

In 1867, with lives at risk along the rugged Pembrokeshire coast, Commander Harvey RN of H.M. Coastguard took decisive a...
19/06/2026

In 1867, with lives at risk along the rugged Pembrokeshire coast, Commander Harvey RN of H.M. Coastguard took decisive action. He wrote to the RNLI requesting that a lifeboat station be established at Milford Haven, a request that would help shape the area's lifesaving history for generations to come.

The RNLI agreed, and soon a stone boathouse and wooden slipway were built at Angle Point by local builder Mr P. James at a cost of Β£170 4s 0d. To house there, a remarkable 33 foot self righting lifeboat was commissioned. Built by Woolfe of Shadwell, London, at a cost of Β£281 17s 6d, the vessel was a Victorian marvel, powered by both oars and sails and designed to right itself if overturned in heavy seas.

The new lifeboat was made possible through the generosity of Sir Titus Salt, the famous Yorkshire industrialist and philanthropist whose charitable works extended far beyond his hometown of Bradford. In an era before public funding, wealthy benefactors like Salt played a vital role in expanding the RNLI's lifesaving service around Britain's coastline.

On 28th November 1868, the lifeboat was officially named Katherine in a special ceremony. Few could have imagined that this moment would mark the beginning of a proud tradition of courage and selflessness at Angle, one of Wales' most distinguished lifeboat stations.

Standing at the entrance to Milford Haven, one of the finest natural harbours in the world, the crews of Angle would go on to brave some of the most challenging seas in British waters, answering the call whenever lives were in danger.

A single letter. One generous donation. Countless lives saved πŸ“·πŸ‘πŸ˜ŠπŸ΄σ §σ ’σ ·σ ¬σ ³σ Ώ

Often referred to as Angle Castle, this remarkable medieval building is more accurately known as Angle Tower House. Bui...
18/06/2026

Often referred to as Angle Castle, this remarkable medieval building is more accurately known as Angle Tower House. Built during the 14th Century, it served as the fortified residence of a powerful local family and remains one of the most unusual medieval structures in Wales.

What makes Angle Tower House particularly special is its architecture. It is a rare example of a Tower House, a type of fortified home commonly found in Ireland, Scotland and along the Anglo Scottish border, but almost unknown in Wales. Unlike the great castles built by kings and princes, Tower Houses combined security, status and domestic comfort within a single defensible structure.

The tower stood at the heart of a larger manorial complex. To the north was a walled and moated enclosure, while marshy ground and a tidal creek helped protect the site on other sides. These natural and man made defences created a secure setting for the household during a period when local power and personal security were closely linked.

Historians believe that the surviving tower may once have formed part of a much larger residence. Other buildings associated with the manor have long since disappeared, leaving the tower as the most impressive surviving reminder of medieval life in Angle. Features such as its thick stone walls, defensive openings and elevated living quarters reflect the practical realities of life in the Middle Ages, where even a family home often needed to serve as a place of refuge.

The tower also reflects the unique history of southern Pembrokeshire, an area often known as Little England Beyond Wales. Following Norman settlement, wealthy landowners established fortified residences throughout the region to secure their estates and demonstrate their influence. Angle Tower House stands as a fascinating survivor from this era, offering a glimpse into a world where architecture, authority and defence were closely intertwined.

Today, the tower remains one of Pembrokeshire's hidden historical treasures. Though smaller than the region's famous castles, its rarity, distinctive design and rich history make it one of the most intriguing medieval sites in Wales, a lasting reminder of a time when a single stone tower could serve as both home and stronghold πŸ“·πŸ‘πŸ˜ŠπŸ΄σ §σ ’σ ·σ ¬σ ³σ Ώ

Framed by the rugged branches of the hillside, this striking view looks down the central track of the abandoned Anglesey...
17/06/2026

Framed by the rugged branches of the hillside, this striking view looks down the central track of the abandoned Anglesey Barracks at Dinorwic Quarry. Built in the 1870s, these two parallel lines of roofless, two room cottages once housed up to four quarrymen each. These men traveled from Anglesey each week, living here from Monday to Friday under incredibly harsh, unheated conditions just to earn a living in the grueling slate industry.

​Today, nature is slowly reclaiming the stone. The vibrant green grass floor and encroaching trees stand in stark contrast to the weathered slate walls and the dramatic, moody mountain backdrop beyond. It’s a powerful, haunting reminder of Wales’ industrial heritage and the sheer resilience of the people who worked these hills πŸ“·πŸ‘πŸ˜ŠπŸ΄σ §σ ’σ ·σ ¬σ ³σ Ώ

The stunning Llewellin Monument at Scollock West Farm. This unusual double monument to Mr & Mrs Llewellin was erected a...
17/06/2026

The stunning Llewellin Monument at Scollock West Farm. This unusual double monument to Mr & Mrs Llewellin was erected after the sudden death of Martha in 1906, the statue of her husband added after his death in 1918. The monument in white Carrara Marble was constructed & designed by the monumental masons, J. Havard & Sons of Haverfordwest. The two statues were apparently copied from a wedding photograph, from which two small plaster statuettes were made and sent to Italy for copying life-size in marble. It stands sixteen feet high & weighs approximately twenty five tonnes. At the time it cost Β£700 which in today's money would be over Β£100,000. The couple are both buried in front of the memorial.

It has a long plinth, with a pedestal centrally mounted, capped by draped urn & flanked by life-size figures of John and Martha Llewellin. The base has a raised plinth, a forward break front and back, rounded ends with heavy carved festoon and front inscription : "As ye would that men should do to you - Do ye also to the likewise - Love God and keep his Commandments - That you may prosper in this life - And have no fear of death" The centrepiece has a tall pedestal with arch-headed plaque each side, and front inscriptions to Martha Llewellin 1840-1906 and John Llewellin 1846-1918, with "By the blessing of God on their joint industry and thrift they bought this farm and hand it down without encumbrance to their heirs and Endeavour to pull together as they did. Union is strength"

It is Grade II listed as an exceptionally rare rural memorial to a farming family, with statues in contemporary dress.

*** PLEASE NOTE : This is on private land & is not accessible to the public. I was granted kind permission by the current owners of the farm to visit & record the memorial ***

First stop of the day on Anglesey. Obviously, trying to fit the full name of this station into one sentence is almost a...
16/06/2026

First stop of the day on Anglesey. Obviously, trying to fit the full name of this station into one sentence is almost as a big a challenge as pronouncing it πŸ™ˆπŸ€£πŸ“·πŸ‘πŸ˜ŠπŸ΄σ §σ ’σ ·σ ¬σ ³σ Ώ

16/06/2026

Above Corris in Mid Wales sits one of the most unusual pieces of Victorian engineering still visible today.

These twin tunnels, often called the Binoculars, were cut into the slate at Abercwmeiddaw Quarry in 1864 during an ambitious experiment to change the way rock was excavated. At a time when quarrymen relied largely on hand drilling and explosives, engineers were searching for a faster and more efficient method of driving tunnels through solid rock.

Their answer was a mechanical rock boring machine. Rather than drilling individual blast holes by hand, the machine used rotating cutters to bore circular tunnels directly into the slate. To overcome the challenge of removing the central rock core, two overlapping circular bores were driven side by side, creating the distinctive binocular shape that remains today.

The technology was innovative, but the experiment failed to transform the industry. The machinery was costly, difficult to operate and offered too few advantages over traditional methods. The project was eventually abandoned, leaving the tunnels as a remarkable snapshot of Victorian ambition and engineering.

What makes them so striking now is that they were never designed to be seen like this. When the tunnels were first bored, they disappeared into a solid mountainside. Years of quarrying removed the surrounding rock, exposing the bores and leaving them suspended in the quarry face high above the valley.

Yesterday's route involved climbing through the old quarry workings, scrambling across loose slate and narrow ledges, and finally walking through the tunnels themselves. Standing inside them, surrounded by the marks left by an experimental machine more than 160 years ago, it's easy to appreciate just how ambitious the project must have seemed at the time.

Although this particular experiment didn't succeed commercially, it represents an early step in the development of mechanised tunnelling technology. Long before modern tunnel boring machines excavated railways, road tunnels and major infrastructure projects around the world, engineers were testing ideas here in the slate quarries above Corris.

A fascinating reminder that not every engineering breakthrough looks like a success when it first happens πŸ“·πŸ‘πŸ˜ŠπŸ΄σ §σ ’σ ·σ ¬σ ³σ Ώ

Leaked : First images of Britain's new "Stealth Tank" undergoing rigorous field testing at Castlemartin Range this after...
14/06/2026

Leaked : First images of Britain's new "Stealth Tank" undergoing rigorous field testing at Castlemartin Range this afternoon 🀫🀫🀫

Forget everything you know about modern armored warfare. The UK has officially bypassed traditional defense contractors to drop the Tarpaulin Mk1 prototype, and the engineering is breathtaking. The design relies on cutting edge, low polygon geometry, essentially looking like a video game asset from 1996 that hasn't fully finished loading its textures yet. If the enemy is looking for a multi million pound armored vehicle, they will completely overlook what appears to be a garden shed wrapped in a heavy duty bin bag.

The real genius, however, lies in Britain's new cost cutting approach to flat pack warfare. According to unconfirmed rumors, the entire regiment was sourced directly from the local Jewsons and assembled using a staple gun, a pocket knife, and some tactical 2x4 timber studs. The aerodynamic properties are incredible, though the hull was catching the Pembrokeshire breeze so violently I half expected the entire unit to take flight and accidentally invade Devon.

While the lightweight, waterproof design is perfect for the Welsh climate, experts worry about its structural integrity under fire. The Ministry of Defence has declined to comment on its vulnerability to rogue gusts of wind or angry badgers. They were reportedly too busy tracking down a missing roll of duct tape to fix the sagging turret before the next training exercise πŸ“·πŸ˜³πŸ€£πŸ΄σ §σ ’σ ·σ ¬σ ³σ Ώ

Almost completely consumed by nature, the mysterious Sisters' House stands on the south bank of the Eastern Cleddau oppo...
14/06/2026

Almost completely consumed by nature, the mysterious Sisters' House stands on the south bank of the Eastern Cleddau opposite the former medieval commandery at Slebech. Today, ivy, brambles, and dense woodland smother the ancient stonework, making it easy to walk past without ever realising the remarkable history concealed beneath the vegetation.

The ruins formed part of the Manor of Minwear, which was granted to the Knights Hospitaller in the mid 12th Century. Known formally as the Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, the Hospitallers were one of the most influential religious and military orders of the medieval world, providing care and shelter for pilgrims travelling to the Holy Land during the Crusades.

The Sisters' House first appears in historical records in 1546, shortly after Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries brought centuries of religious ownership to an end. Yet the purpose of the building remains a subject of debate. Some historians believe it was a substantial agricultural barn, while others suggest it may have served as a hospice for pilgrims passing through this remote corner of Pembrokeshire.

Standing amongst the tangled undergrowth today, with roots twisting through centuries old masonry and trees growing where people once lived and worked, it's hard not to wonder what stories these forgotten ruins could tell πŸ“·πŸ‘πŸ˜ŠπŸ΄σ §σ ’σ ·σ ¬σ ³σ Ώ

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