Royal Dockyard Pembroke - The Reason that Pembroke Dock Exists - 1

Heritage Under Threat - 1

Pembroke Dock or Pater - (pronounced "Patter") was a place of rural idyll in the first decade of the nineteenth century. This changed when Pater Yard was established by the Navy Board to meet the demand for warships to defend the burgeoning empire from the threat of Napolean.  In about 1814 the area was transformed from relative tranquility into a small town of urban industrial bustle. The story of the beginnings of Pembroke Dock can be read in "Pembroke Dockyard and the Old Navy" by Lt. Commander Lawrie Phillips. Indeed, the whole story of the place can be read, from the beginning until when the Admiralty left.

The dockyard has often been, since the Admiralty left, a place of mystery. Hidden behind huge limestone walls of wonderful craftsmanship it has often seemed off limits to any, and all, visitors. However, in later years the advent of the Irish Ferry Terminal and the ill thought out  "Route 9" into the yard, breaching the tall wall, has allowed things to become more visible. It has allowed places to be explored once again.

Sadly, much of what has still to be discovered by many of the people of Pembrokeshire and beyond is under the threat of obliteration - or worse.

The remaining threatened group of historical and unique industrial monuments are in the western Dockyard, and include:

• The Timber Pond (Listed Grade II)
• The Graving Dock (Listed Grade II*)
• Slip 1 (Listed Grade II)
• Slip 2 (Listed Grade II)
• Foreman’s Office or former guard house (Listed Grade II)

This blog post is about the proposed fate of the probably UNIQUE Timber Pond. (Grade II).

The Timber Pond (Listed Grade 2) see More information.

If you work for Svitzer (a towage and salvage company) you will have the privelege of  passing through a gate in the dockyard wall and seeing this unique feature - a survival from the early days of the dockyard. I cannot find another in the UK. It is finely built and despite the neglect it has endured, it is largely sound. What a fantastic piece of calm sea water in which youngsters and adults could train in sea borne skills - canoes, kayaks, dinghies - behind the shelter of the grey limestone wall, shielding the novices from the westerly wind. Indeed this is what the place was used for in the past by the sea cadets. Now - nothing. Its fate? To be buried and covered in concrete with a 40 metre (appx 140 ft) high shed built on top.

This, the only remaining historical feature of this type in the entire UK, willbe buried.

What would this look like? Milford Haven Port Authority have commissioned some illustrations that can be obtained from Pembrokeshire County Council's planning website (Application 20/0732/PA). Use this link and scroll to the end of the document (97 pages!). (I have used very small amounts of some documents under the terms of "fair use".)

The huge shed that will be built over the site of the Timber Pond will have a dramatic impact on both the views of Pembroke Dock and the views from Pembroke Dock. The illustrations in the document above are limited to views that are, due to the perspective and viewing positions and angles chosen, less disturbing than they actually are.

This example, is a portion of the view of the proposed shed over the timber pond, as seen from Neyland. The full image can be seen at the end of this link. (Page 88)

This view, taken from Hazelbeach, is from Page 87 of the above document. It gives a far better impression of the size of the shed over the Timber Pond.

Another problem with the shed over the Timber Pond, apart from the burial of a very rare, if not unique, example of a masonary Timber Pond in the UK, is the way in which the historical view from the oldest building in Pembroke Dock is dramatically compromised.

This building is Paterchurch, now in private hands and sometimes open for public access. You can follow the link below for more information about Paterchurch. 

Link: https://pdboyinsuffolk.blogspot.com/2014/03/paterchurch-tower-pembroke-docks-last.html

The fourth post in the series of articles that you can access via the above link, describes the views that were, and indeed still are, available from the top of Paterchurch. 

The tower was probably part of a medieval fortified house. Its position allowed it to have a clear view of the whole length of the haven, so vessels entering between St. Annes's Head and Angle could, in clear weather, be spotted as soon as they rounded Thorne Island at the entrance to the harbour.

The map below (Figure 3) shows the extent of the field of observation from the top of the tower at Paterchurch. The red area shows the region of visibility from the top of Paterchurch tower. This area is known as the viewshed of the tower. The narrow slot of apparently no view in the middle of the haven is due to the modern mapping used to calculate the view shed. The view nowadays is obstructed by the jetties, but in medieval times the view would not be blocked by such obstacles...they did not exist!

Figure 3

Paterchurch in medival times probably had a role as a watch tower for Pembroke Castle, just 3 kilometres to the south-east. Movement by sea was far slower at the time and there would have been ample time to send warning to the Castle if an invasion fleet should appear below St. Anne's Head.

Figure 4 - The view west from Paterchurch tower in 2014

The shed built over the buried Timber Pond, at a height of 40 metres, would effectively obliterate this historical view that probable gave an important purpose to Paterchurch.

Equally, if we analyse the viewshed of this shed, by calculating where the shed would be visible from in the surrounding countryside, we become aware of the impact this building would have on the visual amenity of the surrounding countryside. Much of this countryside is part of the Pembroke Dock Conservation Area. It is also within a Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest and it is very visible from parts of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

The results of this viewshed analysis are shown below. The height of the shed is taken to be just under 40 metres above ground level. This height is taken to be at a point directly above the centre of the Timber Pond. A point on any extreme spot of the building's apex would give different results. The results shown can be considered indicative of the likely visual impact of this huge building.

Viewshed of the Building over the Timber Pond - Shows full area of visibility

Viewshed of Building over Timber Pond - Closer View

Viewshed of Building over Timber Pond - East of Pembroke Dock

Viewshed of Building over Timber Pond - West of Pembroke Dock

The destruction of a unique assemblage of historical shipbuilding monuments is but the thin end of a very thick wedge that would have a massive visual impact on both the town of Pembroke Dock and the wider area.

Milford Haven Port Authority claim that the Timber Pond will be buried in such a way that it could be "unburied and restored" at a later date. This is a ridiculous notion as the cost of recovering this rare monument could be easily be up to 25 times or more than the cost of burying it. The idea is a deliberate attempt to mask the destruction of a structure that is part of the story and industry that gave birth to, and named, Pembroke Dock. 

Some will say that the scheme will create much needed jobs. It might, but evidence of this is very thin on the ground. Any future boost to the local economy, that might come about through promoting and exploiting Pembroke Dock's heritage, will be dealt a savage blow. This would sacrifice any possible long-term, sustainable economic benefit to one of the - and don't be shocked - most individual and graceful towns in Wales.

Please also see:

Royal Dockyard Pembroke - The Reason that Pembroke Dock Exists - 2

Royal Dockyard Pembroke - The Reason that Pembroke Dock Exists - 3

Royal Dockyard Pembroke - The Reason that Pembroke Dock Exists - 4

Please do get involved and contact Pembrokeshire County Council with your views. Comments about the planning application can be made by following the instructions at the link below:

https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/planning-applications/commenting-on-applications

The planning application has the reference: 20/0732/PA

The official deadline for comments is: 22 January 2021 29 January 2021

However, there is a very strong case for extending this, as despite Milford Haven Port Authority's efforts to subvert the planning process by submitting the application at the start of the Christmas break, when everyone else has other things on their mind, there are several extenuating circumstances that should be taken into account.

• The application is for an outline consent, but contains so much detail that there is very little left for future consideration should the application be passed;
• There are over 120 documents submitted as part of the application. These could possibly be read on the PCC planning website, but are so mixed up, inappropriately labelled when downloaded that they make for very difficult and disjointed reading;
• Important information is missing from the application that would describe the overall impact of the scheme in a transparent way - for example the set of montage views from various viewpoints that show waht the sheds would look like when built - the view from Llanreath would be an interesting one!;
• The scheme is VERY speculative and there is little eidence of actual need for what is proposed;
• There are alternative sites that MHPA part own, some of which would directly support and utilise  local employers, that have not been given adequate consideration;
• If  alternative sites are used then this would open up the western dockyard as a wonderful tourism, heritage, boating and watersports venue - a truly all year stopover attraction on the way to Ireland;
• Working in partnership with another organisation (apart from PCC who are strategic partners , I believe) has not, as far as I am aware, been explored in any great depth. Remember, PCC is the planning authority who will decide on the outcome of this scheme;

I will write more about the other monuments in this scheme in future posts. 

Thanks - Keep safe and keep well!